DISCUSSION OF THE QUESTION LIST 51 



J. C. Eddy thought an application of lime necessary 

 where excessive amounts of potash had been used. 



Mr. Butler : Experiments carried out on our farm 

 show that this is too much to apply profitably ; 400 pounds 

 per acre gave best results, while 900 nearly killed the trees. 



Mr. Barnes : Each grower would do well to experiment 

 for himself along this line. 



Q. Are there any better peaches in their season than 

 Champion and Early Rivers ? 



It was the unanimous opinion that there are none bet- 

 ter than these. 



Q. How long will it pay to run the strawberry bed for 

 home use ? 



Mr. Eddy : I pick from my beds but one season. 



Professor Gulley : It won't pay to clean out an old 

 bed ; plant a new bed every spring. 



Q. How many believe that wood ashes are valuable in 

 fruit culture and have made successful trials ? 



Professor Gulley : In New York state they do not 



believe in ashes. At the experiment station they have been 



conducting a series of experiments with ashes, and, so far, 



the results show that ashes have increased the scab in 



apples. 



President Hale recommended the use of ashes in fruit 

 culture. 



Mr. Forbes : The strawberry growers around East 

 Hartford use wood ashes largely and find them very valu- 

 able in making stronger plants. 



Mr. Coleman : I have used ashes on my peach orchards 

 with very gratifying results. Have nothing to say against 

 the use of ashes. 



Q. What are the dangers of early winter pruning in 

 comparison with late winter pruning, either in the nursery 

 or orchards. 



N. S. Platt : I would not recommend early winter 

 pruning ; it reduces the vitality of the trees. Prune in 

 February and March, both in the nursery and in the orchard. 



Professor Britton : Healing begins more slowly in 

 the coldest weather, therefore it is better to defer the prun- 



