162 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Gilkerson — I have a hundred Willow Twigs. They are 15 or 

 16 years old and I have made more money off them and they have 

 been better and more regular bearers than any other trees. I planted 

 too many varieties, but three years ago I picked 1000 bushels of as- 

 sorted commercial apples off those Willow Twigs, and they have borne 

 every season since they were five years old. Tlie Winesap, so far as 

 my experience goes, on my place, has not been a good tree. 



Mr. Lamm — I want to condemn Willow Twigs. I have lost some 

 by turning black and sun scale. 



Mr. Winn — I want to say to the gentlemen that my experience 

 with the Missouri fruit is not entirely new. I saw your exhibit at the 

 World's Fair and without question Illinois and Missouri had the best 

 fruit there. I know what men want to buy. Last year my instruc- 

 tions were, do not let any Willow Twigs or Jonathans escape you. Do 

 not buy Ben Davis unless they are the very finest ; do not get too 

 many of them. Ben Davis is alright, but you can have too much of 

 anything in the apple line. Ben Davis makes a good show. 



Mr. Durand — A.8 a general rule people can make more money by 

 raising Ben Davis at lower prices. Mr. Winn mentions the Jonathan. 

 That with me has been the most successful and the most profitable of 

 any apple. I think it will bring more money in Chicago than any other. 

 From the way the market goes we need something else with Ben 

 Davis ; I would by no means discard it. I missed several sales be- 

 cause I could not give them anything but Ben Davis, and I lost the 

 sale because I had nothing else. The Winesap is a good apple, but it 

 has got to be scabbing so much that it is not profitable. If I could 

 raise Winesap I would raise a large proportion of them. 



Mr. Francis — I want to inquire what is the best soil for Jonathan ; 

 whether a sandy light soil or a black soil ; I want to have the expe- 

 rience of the Society. 



Mr. Durand — My land is a light limestone soil, reasonably well 

 underdrained. It is not much sandy prairie land. 1 wish to state in 

 this connection that this land does not grow Ben Davis successfully. 

 This year, however, the Ben Davis were full when the storm blew them 

 all off, and the Jonathans were stripped completely. The Ben Davis, 

 as I said, were full this year, and had it not been for the storm I would 

 have had a fine crop. 



Mr. Gardner — With regard to the bitter rot on the Willow Twigs, 

 it seems to me that is a question that should be brought out anew. 

 Bitter rot is a fungus. The germ gets on the apple and is developed 

 by hot weather, and I believe that a thorough spraying of the trees 

 along in August and Saptember, will do a very great deal toward get- 

 ting rid of bitter rot. 



