REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GARDENS. 303 



• The Damson is considered the best for preserving, and for a 

 table or dessert variety Mr. Hartwell esteems the Washington as the 

 best that he grows. The cultivation that has been given the plum 

 has been the same as with other kinds of fruits, namely : common 

 field culture. The great trouble that he has to contend with, and 

 which is familiar to nearly all who undertake to grow plums, is the 

 black knot, which is quite prevalent and undoubtedly will soon cause 

 death to the trees. Most of the varieties are very productive, 

 and if the trees could be kept in a healthy state, the crop would 

 undoubtedly be a profitable one. It has been well said that the 

 plum is a fruit of rare excellence, and it is a matter of regret that 

 a practical remedy for the fatal black knot has not been found, so 

 that it might be more generally cultivated. 



At our request Mr. Hartwell gives his opinion of Peaches as 

 follows: "Where laud suitable for the growth of the peach is 

 plenty and cheap, I would recommend the planting of peach trees. 

 Although we have had for several )'ears — too often for profit — 

 times when the severe cold has killed the buds, I do not feel as 

 though it would alwa3's be so and there are times when such 

 peaches as can be grown in this vicinity command a high price 

 in the market. For cultivation the following varieties are recom- 

 mended : 



Alexander, Hale's Early, 



Crawford's Early, Mountain Rose, 



Crawford's Late, Oldmixon Freestone, 



Early Rivers, Stump the World. 

 Foster, 



The Alexander, Hale's Early, Mountain Rose, and Oldmixon 

 Freestone, are not considered as desirable as the others." 



We see that at least one practical grower is not disposed to 

 give up the cultivation of this delicious fruit, and may it not be 

 possible that the supposed ease with which it ma}' be grown has 

 led many to neglect their trees ? Do not many orchards indicate 

 this to be the case? Of course no one can control the seasons, 

 but for much of the negligence and slovenl}- cultivation too often 

 seen, there is no excuse. Let us hope that we may be blessed 

 with favorable seasons, so that we shall again witness large 

 exhibitions of the peach, to which much of our soil seems so well 

 adapted. 



