I04 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



WESTERN NEW YORK FRUIT GROWERS. 



.S deleg'ate of the O. F. G. Association, 

 I attended the 45th annual meeting- of 

 W. N. Y. Horticultural Society, held 

 in Rochester, on January 24th and 25th. 

 This Society, notwithstanding- its venerable 

 age, is still in the full vigor of youth. The 

 attendance at its meetings, and the interest 

 taken in its work, is increasing from year 

 to year. 



The officers and members are an intelli- 

 gent, energetic, large hearted lot of men, 

 who not only know how to grow fruit, but 

 to be happy themselves, and make their 

 visitors feel at home among them. For al- 

 though we live on the other side of an im- 

 aginary line, and under a different form of 

 government it is no bar to the good fellow- 

 ship and free intercourse among fruit grow- 

 ers, even if it does affect the fruit. 



The meeting was called to order by the 

 President, W. C. Barry, of Rochester. 



No subject brought before the meeting 

 commanded more attention than " Insect 

 enemies of fruit," and among them San Jose 

 Scale held first place. The alarm caused by 

 this pest is much greater than it was at this 

 time last year. In our country, out of 160 

 orchards inspected (mostly apple) 102 were 

 found infested. One speaker said that the 

 smallpox had been among^ them, and that 

 they did not know it ! We are only begin- 

 ning to realize how serious the infestation 

 is. Another speaker said "the scale has 

 g-ot away from us." Nursery stock from 

 other States, with inspector's certificates at- 

 tached, were found infested. It was stated 

 that all that has been said as to the entire 

 destruction of the scale by spraying was up- 

 set by facts. Kerosene, crude oil and soaps 

 have all failed. Fire or fumigation with 

 hydrocyanic acid gas are the only effectual 

 treatment so far discovered. It is said that 



some cherry and Kieffer pear trees are al- 

 most exempt from its attacks. 



The State of Massachusetts has spent 

 about one and a half million dollars fighting 

 the Gypsy moth. Last year it spent two 

 hundred thousand, and only succeeded in 

 preventing its spreading- to new territory. 

 There is great danger that it may escape 

 their vigilance and spread throughout Ame- 

 rica. 



A new pest, the cherry fruit fly, has ap- 

 peared ; it attacks the fruit and is very de- 

 structive. 



Professor Slingerland said that he could 

 not say whether fumigation would kill 

 the eg-gs of the tent and tentless caterpillar 

 or canker-worm or not. 



The disease known as "little peaches" 

 continues to spread in some sections ; burn- 

 ing is the only remedy known. 



Black rot in grapes was bad in many vine- 

 yards last year. Scabbing- of apples and 

 pears was not so bad last year as usual. 



None of the new fungicide compounds 

 have proved so satisfactory as Bordeaux 

 mixture, it adheres to the tree and fruit bet- 

 ter than any other preparation used. 



Apple canker continues to spread, destroy- 

 ing whole orchards in some sections. Pear 

 blight has been prevalent this year, best 

 known treatment is to cut and burn affected 

 parts. 



Duchess and Kieffer pear are said to be 

 the most profitable. Duchess wrapped up 

 in paper and put up in boxes by Mr. Hooker, 

 of Rochester, brought in the British market 

 the equal of $14 per bbl. Professor Van 

 Deman says that hundreds of car loads of 

 Kiefferpears are canned and labelled Bartlett. 



The Champion quince is good but too late. 

 The Orange quince is said to be the best. The 

 Bosc pear does well grafted on Kieffer trees. 



