HORTICULTURAL DIVISION. 



S. T. MAYNARD. 



SUMMARY OF THE WORK OF THE HORTICUL- 

 TURAL DIVISIOIT FOR THE YEAR 1899. 



VARIETY TESTS OF FRUITS. 



Of the numerous questions that come to this department, a large 

 majority relate to fruits, — the best varieties, the best methods of 

 culti%'"ation and pruning, the best and cheapest fertilizers and the 

 control of insect and fungous pests. Answers to these questions 

 will be found in this summary for the year's work. 



APPLES. 



184 varieties growing, 48 fruited. 



THE PLUM CURCDLIO. 



The injury done by the plum curculio which causes a large portion 

 of the gnarly fruit and is considered by some fruit growers as the 

 most injurious pest attacking the apple has been shown to have 

 largely decreased by spraying with the Bordeaux mixture and Paris 

 green. (See Spraying Calendar.) This is in line with the results 

 obtained by the same treatment of the plum practiced for many 

 years to prevent this fruit from being destroyed by the above men- 

 tioned pest. The varieties showing the most injury from the pest 

 were Early Harvest, Spy, AVillowtwig, Roxbury Russett and R. I. 

 Greening, while almost all varieties were more or less injured espec- 

 ially when there was little fruit on the trees. 



THE BROWN DRY-ROT. 



For three or four years past many winter varieties have been seri- 

 ously injured by small brown dry-rot spots under the skin. In many 

 cases it has been so abundant as to render the fruit almost unmar- 



