THE GENESEE FAEMER. 



24$ 



FRUIT GROWERS' SOCIETY OF WESTERN N. Y. 



The Annual Summer Meeting of the Fruit Growers' 

 Society of Western New York, was held in this city 

 une 25th. 



Hugh T. Brooks, President of the Society delivered an 

 loquent aud interesting address. He thought there was 

 carceiy any worldly interest more important than that 

 f fruit culture, and scarcely any that has been treated 

 rith more indifference and neglect. 



In the brief record of man's early history, we are told 

 hat "the Lord God formed man of the dust of the 

 ;round," put him into a garden and there made " to grow 

 ivery tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.' 

 les, good for foci. He thought that if the business 

 aen of this age were getting up a world, about the last 

 hing they would think of would be a fruit tree, and al- 

 aost the last thing they would do would be to care for it. 



Fruit, like everything truly valuable, must be sought 

 pith care aud pains. The rule is, that if a man will not 

 fork, neither shall he eat. He thought the armies erf 

 aterpillars, worms, and all sorts of insects were sent to 

 unish man for his laziness and indifference, and to teach 

 .s that eternal vigilence is the price of fruit. Multitudes 

 f men and women will start up and say : We have tried 

 verything; we have smoked, snuffed, ashed, limed, and 

 :erosened the worms, till we have killed the bushes. 

 iVhat more could we do? "I'll tell you," said he. 

 1 These enemies have been making their approaches for 

 'ears. -They first sent out their skirmishers, then estab- 

 ished their pickets, but we paid no attention till they 

 nade their assault in full force, and then we were over- 

 vhelmed. Our agricultural aud horticultural journals 

 lave been giving pictures of these insects for years, and 

 elling us to be on our guard - but we paid no attention. 

 iVhen they were few, we could pull their heads off, which 



feel confident, is a 'certain cure;' but having outnum- 

 >ered the locusts of Egypt and filled the ground with 

 heir deposits for another year, it will take a good deal of 

 lust and smoke to use them up. Still, the regular use of 

 laked lime will kill the currant worm." 



We need more knowledge. And we need the stimulus 

 vhich meetings like the present impart, to excite us to 

 ncreased efforts to overcome the difficulties in the way 

 if raising fine fruit. 



The members of the Society proceeded to discuss the 

 ollowing subjects : 



QUESTION I. 



Wliat is the best form of pruning the Dwarf Pear tree, 

 ind what is the best for the Standard, and the best season 

 'or doing it ! 



President Brooks said he recently called on a friend 

 vho had set out many trees, and he (Mr. B.) told him 

 bey were not properly pruned, but on being asked what 

 vas the proper method of pruning, he found it more diffi- 

 sult to answer than he expected. 



Mr. Hoag, of Lockport, was called upon. He " agreed 

 wit'h the President." 



Mr. Townsend, of Lockport, said in regard to the form, 

 he decidedly preferred the pyramidal ; keeping the lower 

 branches the longest and shortening in the top, cutting 

 to within three or four buds. Preferred to prune after 

 tha severe frosts of winter were passed. If pruned too 

 early the leading bud suffers. 



President Beooks — " How near the ground would you 

 commence?" 



Mr. Townsend — With a dwarf pear, would commence 

 about a foot from the ground. This allows room for till- 

 ing the ground. With standards, about eighteen inches 

 to two feet. Would prune standards in the pyramidal 

 form, leaving more top than with the dwarfs. Vigorous 

 growing varieties should not be pruned so closely as 

 those of slower growth. Would like to hear from Mr. 

 Ellwanger. 



Mr. Ellwanger agreed with Mr. T. 



Mr. Downing, of Newburgh, thought the branches 

 should not be too near the ground, as the fruit was small 

 and of inferior quality. Upright growing sorts might 

 branch a foot from the ground, but horizontal growers 

 should be two feet, and for standards three feet. 



Mr. Moodt, of Lockport, thought the pyramidal not 

 the best form. The inside of the tree should be thin and 

 open. Pruning outside, merely to keep the tree in shape 

 was not a good method. 



Mr. Townsend thought pruning should not be carried 

 to extreme. He had suffered at first from too close 

 pruning. 



H. M. Hooker had also found that be had pruned too 

 much. The trees were too thick. This spring he had 

 cut out the laterals — shortening them so as to make fruit 

 spurs. 



Mr. Fish agreed with Mr. Townsend. Pruning was 

 not understood. Farmers let their trees run up too much. 

 If they pruned at all, they cut off the bottom branches 

 and let the top run up ! 



H. N. Langwoutht — Pear growers are pruning too se- 

 verely. Trees want to have a little more their own way. 

 Has been practicing on standards; keeping the centre 

 out and giving the side branches more room, and cut out 

 so as to give plenty of air. Has three or four leaders to 

 each tree. The tree will still keep a pyramidal form. 



W. H. Lee, of Newark, was called out. He cuts back 

 the shoots in August, in order to develop fruit spurs next 

 year. 



QUESTION II. 



What are the advantages of pinching ? 



Mr. Ellwanger— Summer pinching has several advan- 

 tages : 1st. It checks the'lateral growth and assists the 

 formation of fruit spurs. 2d. It assists in thinning out 

 lateral branches, and prevents the filling up of the tree 

 and lets in the sun. 3d. It lessens the pruning of the 

 following winter. He pinches in June, when the shoots 

 are five or six inches long, pinching iu to three or four 

 buds. Does not pinch the shoots designed for the forma- 

 tion of the tree, only the lateral shoots. If strong shoots 

 are pinched, they will make a second growth. 

 question in. 



What is the cheapest andlbest method of cultivating the 

 Pear? 



Mr. Townsend was called out, and said the only way he 

 knew was to " take a good stock, set a bud in it of the 

 kind you wish to grow, cultivate, manure, and take care 

 of it!" 



QUESTION IV. 



What useful results have been found to follow the use of 

 Ashes, Lime and Charcoal? Upon what fruits, and how 

 applied ? 



The President had set out an apple orchard of twelve 



