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FRUIT GROWERS SOCIETY OP WESTERN NEW YORK. 



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FRUrr GROWERS' SOCIETY OF WESTERN N. YORK. 



This body held its first meeting since its organiza- 

 tion, in tlie Council Chamber at Buffalo, on the 13th 

 and 14th of September. Below we give an accouut 

 of its proceedings. About seventy-five members 

 were present, all of whom manifested much interest 

 in the proceedings of the Society. 



There were many and large contributions of fruit 

 by amateurs, fruit growers and nurserymen, from dif- 

 ferent parts of this portion of the State, as follows: 



Contributors. 



Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester 



Hooker, Farley & Co. do. 



A. Fio.st&Co. do. 

 J. H. Watts, do. 

 H. E. Hooker, do. 



J. J. Thomas, Macedoo, Wayne C 



H. P. Norton, Brockport 



W. R. Cnppock, Buffalo 1... 



R. Bullymore, do 



L.F.Allen, do. 



M. Cadwallader, do. 



Manley& Mason, do. 



L.Eaton. do 



.T. .S. Miller, do 



B. Timmcrman, do. ... 



G. Zimmerman, do 



Dr. Pratt, do 



A. Huydekoper, Meadville, Pa 



W. P. Townsend, Lockport . 



Penfleld & Burrill, do 



C. L. Hoag, do. 



A. Pinnev, Clarkson, Monroe Co. 



Loomis ^ Whitman, Byron 



R. B. Warren, Alabama, N. Y 



A. Hampton, Ellicott 



Number of Varietie.q, 



The exhibition of fruit was better than we have 

 seen collected together for many a day. The speci- 

 mens were generally well grown, and correctly named. 



We were e.xtremely gratified at the display of fruit, 

 and we must say that this first meeting guaranteed 

 much for the future success of the enterprise, which 

 is for the promotion of horticulture throughout West- 

 ern New York. 

 ^ The discussions were very interesting. Much was 



said upon the stereotyped subject — " the cause of the 

 fire blight upon the pear." There were about aa 

 many different opinions as to the cause as there were 

 speakers. It was a tough subject, and no progress 

 was made. ■ 



When a tree was attacked, it was generally thought 

 best to amputate the diseased branch some distance 

 below the point where it had extended. 



Different persons named sorts of pears which, from 

 their observation, were most subject to blight. We 

 cannot see in what manner this is to be of much bene- 

 fit. All of the kinds which are there mentioned as 

 being subject to blight are those that are cultivated' 

 extensively, while those sorts of which but few are 

 grown are not noticed; yet they may be just as sub- 

 ject to this disease, and in many cases far more so. 

 What kind of a list shall we now make out to plant 

 of pears ? Would it be those which are not enume- 

 rated ? Of those not enumerated, there are not pro- 

 bably ten grown, while of those which are stated as 

 liable to blight there are hundreds. 



If an orchardist had an orchard of one hundred 

 pear trees, say of the Bartlett, White Doyenne, Made- 

 leine, Vicar of Winkjield, and Louise Bonne de Jer- 

 sey, out of which ten should blight; adjoining these 

 there were ten more trees of another sort which en- 

 tirely escaped, still this does not show that the Bart- 

 lett, Wliite Doyenne, etc., are more subject to blight 

 than the kind of ten trees of which none were at- 

 tacked. To ascertain what sorts of pears are most 

 subject to blight, other means must be adopted. As 

 a general rule, however, we believe that those sorts 

 of pears are more subject to disease whose habits of 

 growth are very luxuriant, as the woody matter of 

 which they are composed is less compact and firm. 



On ripening of pears something was said concern- 

 ing which much is yet to be learned. 



To save plums from the ravages of the curculio, 

 allow pigs and poultry to have access to the ground 

 under the trees, as they will destroy the decayed fruit 

 when it drops, and with it the insects that would 

 continue its destruction the following season. 



The following are the notes we took at the time: 



At 12 o'clock, Jonif J. Thomas, the President 

 of the Societ}', called the meeting to order. 



The following business committee were appoint- 

 ed : BAnEY, of Koohester ; Allen and Coppook, 

 of Buffalo; BnKRiLL, of Lockport; and Pinney, of 

 Brockport. 



Tlie Convention then atljourned. 



At 3 o'clock the Convention re-assembled, and 

 Mr. Baeby, from the Committee on Business, re- 



