oO MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



most practical cultivators that by careful selection of healthy stock, and 

 by wise restraint of its natural luxuriance, we may still hope for the 

 abundance of former years. 



Plums. — For several years the contributions have been almostlimited 

 to two cultivators, one of whom prevents the destruction of this fruit by 

 the curculio, by showering and completely covering the tree with lime 

 whitewash; and the other adopts a more natural way of keeping a large 

 flock of fowls. Lovers of this fruit can judge whether they are willing 

 to pay the price for its successful culture. Dr. Louis Tribus, of North- 

 ampton, exhibited specimens of the French Prune Plum, probably St. 

 Catherine; and also the dry Prune, in excellent condition. It is the 

 opinion of Dr. Tribus that this Prune is well suited to our climate, and 

 alno that it is exempt from the attack of the curculio. It certainly is 

 worthy of trial. 



Apples. — Truly we have had a year of plenty, like the abundance of 

 former years. The experience of this season is strong support of our 

 opinion, expressed in previous reports, that the Apple is eminently a 

 Massachusetts fruit. It deserves more general attention and better care 

 than it receives. "Where protection from the cankerworm is necessary, 

 the most economical method for large orchards is doubtless a simple 

 band of tarred paper around the trunk, kept freshly covered with tar 

 and printers' ink; an effectual process, provided the bands are wide 

 enough, and the ink is applied frequently and without remission. But 

 in the case of a few trees, and for perfect safety, a zinc trough filled with 

 crude petroleum is recommended. A full description of these troughs 

 is given by Mr. John G. Barker, in Tilton's Journal of Horticiilture for 

 October, 1870, page 207. It would seem that in the most infected dis- 

 tricts there is absolute immunity from the cankerworm, and other in- 

 sects which ascend the trunk of the tree, at a cost of from $1 to $2.50 

 per tree, varying with the size of the tree. The superabundance and the 

 low price of apples this year may be a discouraging feature, but it is a 

 sure indication that, with only reasonable care, we may rely upon full 

 average crops, which will be largely remunerative, ui)un thousands of 

 acres of the cheap hill sides of our Commonwealth. 



On the 23d of July, Mr. O. C. Gibbs exhibited a fine dwarf tree, of the 

 Keswick Codlin variet}', well filled with fruit of good size. This was 

 probably the first sample of Dwarf Apple tree ever seen at our exhibi- 

 tions, and was interesting as an indication of the possibilities with thi."! 

 fruit, in pot culture. Red Astrachan was the first variety to appear 

 from open culture, July 30th, and took the first prize, August 20th, Wil- 

 liams and Sweet Bough being prominent competitors. A fine looking 

 Apple was received from Col. Francis L. Lee, August QOth, who ob- 

 tained the fr»iit in Westport, Essex County, N. Y., and who writes that 

 ' the tree is about twenty-five years old, is a free bearer, always having 



