NINTH ANNUAL MEETING. 53 



objection — it makes branches with such an abundance of 

 foliage that with even a gentle rain it is liable to break 

 down. 



The Wickson plum is a very upright grower and one of 

 the most promising plums I know of. It blossoms very 

 abundantly, but even though set in the midst of a dozen 

 other varieties, it sets only a moderate quantity of fruit, 

 which is of very large size, bright carmine color, covered 

 with whiteish bloom; flesh rather dry and a good keeper. 

 With the Hale plum this year I have had a different experi- 

 ence than ever before. The tree is a tremendous grower 

 — no Japan like it in this respect; but the fruit has failed 

 to ripen up properly until this last year. In this very dry 

 season the plums ripened up about with the Chabot, and 

 the)'' held on the trees longer than any other plum ripening 

 at that time. It is of a light green color, with a delicate 

 bloom and spots of red on one side. It is the most beauti- 

 ful fruit one can imagine; in the basket they look cool 

 and inviting, and they are just as good as they look. It 

 was the best in flavor of all the Japans this year. 



In Chestnuts, the Paragon is a good grower and an 

 abundant bearer. It commenced to bear four or five years 

 ago with me, and has been increasing from year to year 

 and continuing its growth. The chestnut has the pecul- 

 iarity of making the fruit on the new wood, just like the 

 grape vine. This fact should be particularly remem- 

 bered in cutting grafts and in trimming the trees, for the 

 new shoots which bear fruit grow from the last half of the 

 previous year's growth. 



One of the most interesting features of this session was 

 an address by Professor S. A. Beach of the New York 

 State Experiment Station, entitled "The New Apple 

 Culture." Professor Beach occupied nearly an hour 

 speaking in a very instructive and practical way of this 

 important subject. 



