1879.1 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



287 



Horticultural Societies. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Georgia Horticultural Socikty. — The 

 fourth annual meeting was held at Macon, on 

 the 20th of July, President P. J. Bercknians, 

 presided. The meeting was well attended. 

 Mr. Bercknians in his annual address, expressed 

 gratification at so many being present in spite 

 of the great discouragement of severe losses to 

 the fruit crojDs from the jmst unfavorable 

 Spring. He spoke of the unremunerative 

 fruit growing in the South as an impossi- 

 bility, when understandingly pursued. There 

 was often a drug in poor fruits, but never 

 in the best. The experience of the past twen- 

 ty years has shown that the demand has kept 

 full pace with the supply. Vegetable culture 

 was also progressing rapidly and profitably. 

 He advised great care in the selection of varie- 

 ties, especially in early peaches. In this the 

 business was certainly being overdone. The 

 railway companies were willing to give the 

 best encouragement to Southern shipi^ers as 

 soon as it was evident that there would be a 

 permanent trade and enough to make it worth 

 while to give such encouragement. The South- 

 ern Express Company, he especially praised for 

 its liberality to fruit growers. In regard to 

 shipping North, he said: " At our previous 

 meeting I mentioned that Georgia peaches had 

 received the highest quotations in New York 

 during May, June and July, 1878. I am happy 

 to state that the earliest shipment of peaches to 

 New York has again been made this year by 

 our Vice President, Mr. Samuel H. Rumph, on 

 the 20th of May last, the variety being the 

 Alexander. The market reports also have 

 quoted Georgia peaches higher than those re- 

 ceived at the same time from other States, thus 

 jjroving that our State has attained the front 

 rank among the fruit-producing sections of 

 America. A proud distinction which our peo- 

 ple must retain by careful cultivation, and still 

 more careful selection in packing and shipping 

 to Northern markets." 



No report was made by the committee on or- 

 namental planting. The president said full 

 attention would be given to this branch in 

 future proceedings of the society. 



Mr. Stark said tiiat in his district pears and 

 grapes were the leading fruits. The pear l)iight 

 worse than last year ; the Leconte exempt. 

 The Jai)an Persimmon is fruiting in Thomas 

 (.'ounty. Peaches are liable to rot before ma- 

 turity. They do best in the nortiicrn part. 

 Dr. Hape said so bad had been the fruit season 

 that even the blackberry had been a partial 

 failure at Atlanta. Grapes are healthy, and the 

 yield is fine. At Atlanta there is no abatement 

 in the love of fruit culture. 



The exhibition of fruits was tiie best ever 

 seen in the State, and elicited the admiration 

 of many ladies and gentlemen who visited it. 

 P. J. Bercknians, was re-elected president for 

 another term, amidst great enthusiasm. A 

 committee reported that over-heating manure 

 and improper drainage, are the causes of the 

 pear blight, wliich last year affected twenty 

 per cent, of the trees. The Leconte Pear 

 was free from blight, but of poor flavor. Mr. 

 Rumijh had fifty-one varieties of peaches on 

 exhibition ; of grapes eighty varieties were on 

 exhibition. In regard to shipping pears, Mr. 

 Woodruff said the fruit was easily wrapped in 

 paper and sent in forty-five jiound crates. 



Dr. Hape thought there was no necessity to 

 strap the crates, that it added to the cost. He 

 used poplar slats for his crates. Mr. E. C. 

 Grier replied that experience showed that it 

 was best to strap the crates. The weight of one- 

 third bushel crate was eighteen pounds. The 

 straps which were best and lightest were thin 

 white oak strips. Mr. Bercknians stated that he 

 had been in late years shipping in one-third 

 bushel crates without straps and found no diffi- 

 culty at all. Mr. Sanford said that they had 

 adopted twenty-two by eighteen inches boxes, 

 holding three pecks. He wrapped all of his 

 pears; one ream of paper wraps fifty crates. 

 He had shipi^ed pears with sjiace left in the 

 crates to New York, and rats destroyed them. 

 No space was needed. The size of the crates 

 was spoken of. Mr. Bercknians stated that in 

 regard to the size of crates the society should 

 let the demands of the market govern the size 

 of the package. 



Much attention was given to the subject of 

 wine making. Mr. Woodruff was called on 



