HORTICULTDKAL SOCIETY. 227 



soon die of a broken heart." Fourth district: "In apples, there 

 seems to be little progress, or a desire to plant new orchards, as 

 the old trees have about all disappeared." Fifth district. 

 — "As far as I can learn apple trees in my section of the 

 state are reduced to the transcendant, with a few hyslops, Becher 

 sweets and Minnesotas." Under the pressure of this horrid 

 testimony from all over the state I must ask you to either im- 

 peach these five witnesses! or refrain from denouncing the writer 

 as a crank for barking so much about "Tree Bark"! sour crab ap- 

 ples! and the like. It is true that we are not on that solid basis 

 that we hope ere long to be placed upon. Yet in spite of all ob- 

 stacles thrown in our path, some few are still making apple culture 

 pay in our district. I reported in my last that Wm. Somerville 

 took $125 in premiums on apples, at two fairs. This year he in- 

 creased the pile some $25. So you see the "brush pile" don't beat 

 him much at present! And as he continues to set the most worthy 

 example of planting a few of the best hardy trees every spring, 

 and giving them intelligent thought and care, I doubt if the 

 "brush heap" or any other obstacle will be too tall for him to sur- 

 mount! Horticulture is steadily advancing, and keeping pace with 

 the times, and the other arts and sciences. The native plum crop 

 was cut by frost in some locations, but with me it was better than 

 in any former year, in fact too good for the welfare of the trees. 

 The Russian mulberry crop was also better than usual, some of 

 which were larger and sweeter than the common field pea! The 

 raspberry and blackberry crop surpassed that of '68 which was also 

 good. We are favorably impressed with the Caroline raspberry; 

 ic is hardy and prolific, and although not of a fashionable color for 

 market, sells well for a light berry. The currant crop was fair, 

 the long bunch Holland leading all others with us. Gooseberry 

 crop rather light. The strawberry crop was the poorest for many 

 years, but may be all the better for that this year. We fruited the 

 buffalo berry for the first time this past season, and look upon it 

 as quite an acquisition. The potato was about half a good crop 

 here — but so extensively grown everywhere that the market was 

 slow at 20 cents per bushel. We had a fair yield of other garden 

 vegetables and prices were low, too low in fact to correspond with 

 prices on fruits. 



"The banana belt." The banana crop was the largest and most 

 superb ever produced since the settlement of the country. Aug. 

 23rd, '89, Mr. G. W. Fuller and self visited the green house con- 

 nected with the Insane Hospital at Rochester, and took the follow- 

 ing notes descriptive of a banana plant, brought to Rochester from 

 Florida eleven years ago. Height of plant, 14 feet; circumference 

 one foot above the root, 21 inches; length of leaf, 7 feet; length of 

 fruit stalk, 4| feet; length of fruit, 6 inches. Has produced 492 

 specimens of fruit. Has 26 full grown specimens now on plant. 

 It has been exhibited before the S. M. Agricultural Society for 

 three years in succession. I made a visit to this plant again about 

 a month later, and the florist in charge informed me that it had 

 produced over 600 bananas and all dropped when about an inch in 

 length except 26 yet hanging on the plant. 



