1 88 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



AFTERNOON SKSSION AT 2 



Question Box 



" The possibilities of Apple Orcharding in Connecticut " 



Edwin Hoyt, New Canaan. 



" How to increase the profits from our orchards " ." 



Prof. A. G. Gulley, Conn. Agricultural College. 

 " Experiences with Cold Storage of Fruits " C. I. Allen, Terryville. 



A Question Box will be open to receive any inquiries on fruit topics, to 

 be discussed as time permits. All participate in this feature. 



After President Piatt had called the meeting to order, E. F. 

 Gaylord, Master of the Grange, welcomed the Society in well 

 chosen words, emphasizing the point that the organization is 

 needed to represent the fruit growers of the State. 



Prof. W. E. Britton was the first speaker, handling the sub- 

 ject of insect pests in a practical manner. He said that the 

 spread of injurious insects is increasing, and is largely due to 

 cultivation and transportation. A large part of his address was 

 devoted to a discussion of the San Jose scale, which Mr. Britton 

 said was on the increase in our State. There is no hope of 

 growing fruit in Connecticut without taking this pest into con- 

 sideration and being prepared to fight it by spraying. Its 

 natural enemies may hold it in check in time, but it is not safe 

 to wait for that. 



Vice-President A. C. Sternberg of West Hartford spoke next 

 on "Practical points for peach growers." The speaker was of 

 the opinion that there was plenty of available land in Whig\dlle 

 well suited to peach culture and advised the young fanners to 

 make a start in this line of work. 



In planting your orchards stick to the old and well tried varie- 

 ties, such as Oldmixon, the Crawfords, Stump, Morris White, 

 a fine canning peach, and Smock. Set the trees fifteen feet apart 

 each way and every third tree should preferably be an apple. 

 In this way you will secure a valuable apple orchard, after the 

 peach trees have ceased to be profitable ; a crop may be grown 

 between the trees the first two or three years, but do not plant 

 nearer the trees than four feet. Mr. Sternberg emphasized the 

 necessity of thinning the fruit in seasons of abundant crops — aim 

 to grow only large fruit. The crop should averag"e a dollar per 

 basket to be profitable and there is always a wide market for 

 first class peaches. Careless packing and grading of the fruit 



