^8 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



In 1875, I set some McLaughlin and Bradshaw, and have con- 

 tinued setting a few trees nearly every year since. To this time, I 

 have lost but two trees, one, a McLaughlin, died of a bark disease ; 

 the other, a Washington, died, I think, by too much pruning. The 

 latter has not been a success with me. 



VARIETIES NOW IN CULTIVATION. 



Imperial Gage, Lombard, Bradshaw, McLaughlin, Green Gage, 

 Purple Gage, Niagara, Wheat (on pomegranate stock), Smith's Or- 

 leans, Moore's Arctic, River's Blue Prolific, Reine Claude, Shrop- 

 shire Damson, Yellow Egg, Victoria and Magnum Bonum, Saunders, 

 and Shippers' Pride ordered to set the coming spring. From this 

 list the following have done the best with me : Imperial Gage, Lom- 

 bard, Bradshaw, Niagara and Wheat. A few have not been set 

 long enough to fruit, therefore I cannot state what they will do. I 

 have a very favorable opinion of the Niagara. It seems hardy, 

 fruit large and abundant, and one tree which has been set seven 

 years has entirely escaped the black knot. Moore's Arctic is doing 

 well in this county. I have two trees. They were set three years 

 ago. They fruited the second year and show some good qualities, 

 being hardy, fair growers, and have fruited two years in succession. 

 Why this variety was dropped by this society from its list of specials, 

 I never knew ; but probably by the suggestion of some who had 

 more experience in its cultivation than myself. 



THE BLACK KNOT. 



This I find the most difficult to control of any thing in cultivating 

 this crop. I do not know how to prevent it. All I do for it is to 

 cut off the knots as soon after they appear as possible, and dress the 

 rtrees heavily, thus giving them a thrifty growth. Of all the varie- 

 ties I have grown, the Niagara is the only one that has entirely es- 

 caped this disease, and I find this variety affected in a garden not 

 over thirty rods from mine. I have cut off the limbs of some that 

 were very largely covered wilh the knots and they are sending out 

 •new branches ; whether they will ever recover and become worth cul- 

 tivating remains to be seen. During fourteen years I have not lost 

 a tree by this disease. Much has been written upon this disease, 

 many remedies prescribed ; but I believe it is now generally admitted 

 by cultivators that no remedy has ever been discovered. 



