No. 4.] FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 331 



variety, but it is losing its vigor, and we must cast about 

 for something to take its place. Mr. Hart well considered 

 the Gravenstein the most profitable apple, his method of 

 harvesting being to let the apples fall on a mulch of hay, 

 and market them in bushel boxes, selling for $1 to $1.50 per 

 box. ]\Ir. Hadwen would not plant Gravensteius on heavy 

 soil : they need some sand in the soil. Other varieties of 

 promise mentioned were Mcintosh Red, Sutton Beauty, 

 Palmer Greening, Ben Davis, King, Wagner, etc. The Ben 

 Davis was reported as the longest-keeping red apple, and 

 profitable, but of poor quality ; and the King as very uncer- 

 tain on the thin soils of Massachusetts. 



Second question: The European market for a'pples, (jreen 

 or evaporated. — No one present had had experience with 

 canned or evaporated fruit, but all agreed that well-packed 

 good fruit would sell for paying prices if shipped to Europe. 

 Mr. J. Eames would have the apples packed as far as pos- 

 sible from the boiler of the steamer in which they are 

 shipped, in manj^ cases reported the apples stowed near the 

 boiler having come out in a much decayed and injured 

 condition. Careful picking, sorting and close packing are 

 absolutely necessary to success. 



Third question : Is it advisable to plant pears or peaches 

 betiveen apples in the orchard, when forty feet or more apart9 

 — Several speakers discussed this question, the opinion 

 being that peaches could be planted between the apple, liut 

 not pears, as the pear is as long lived as the apple. Mr. 

 Wood suggested currants as a good crop to plant under the 

 shade of fruit trees, giving as an instance the Hittinger 

 Brothers of Belmont, who during the past season grew 

 twenty tons of currants under pear and apple trees. 



Fourth question : Is it desirable to plough orchards late in 

 the season, say in November? — This question was discussed 

 with a very wide range, but it was generally conceded that 

 it is best to cultivate young orchards continually or until 

 they begin to bear, when many advocated seeding down to 

 grass, and ploughing once in three to five years. 



Fifth question : Causes of and remedy for scald on app>les 

 in winter storage. — Professor Clark thought the cause too 

 much moisture and heat, and would prevent it by getting the 



