No. 4.] FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 341 



Afternoon /Session. 



Vice-president Hartwell was in the chair. The address 

 was made by Prof. S. T. IMaynard of the Massachusetts 

 Agricultural College, on the })ro])aoati()n, growth and prun- 

 ing of fruit trees, illustrated by samples of seedling stocks 

 used for buddino; etc., the different methods of ffraftino;, 

 by trees as they come from the nursery, showing No. 1 and 

 No. 2 trees, June-budded and autumn-budded peach trees, 

 one and two year old grape vines, currants, etc. The vari- 

 ous methods of propagation and training from the seed to 

 time for planting in orchards were described in detail. The 

 young trees were pruned for planting, and the subject of 

 pruning trees in the orchard up to two or three years of age 

 was discussed by the speaker ; when he called upon Prof. 

 J. W. Clark to discuss the best methods of pruning trees, in 

 which he had become very skilful by the care of the largest 

 apple orchard in this State. 



The principal reason why this subject was presented is 

 that there is not a single nursery in the State where the fruit 

 trees sold are largely grown by the nurseryman selling 

 them ; and there seems to be a field for young and enthusi- 

 astic men in supplying from our own soil more of the im- 

 mense quantity of trees that are planted every year. In 

 every village and hamlet the nursery agent from distant 

 nurseries comes annually without tail, with his highly col- 

 ored plates of fruits, wonderfully superior to anything ever 

 before seen ; and hundreds of thousands of trees and shrubs 

 are sold to our people that might be grown on our own soil, 

 where they could be delivered to the planter in a condition 

 that would make their growth and perfection, with a fair 

 amount of care and skill, a certainty. In almost every large 

 town or city is to be found the local nurseryman, who sup- 

 plies such local trade as he can secure ; but the greater part 

 of his stock, too, is first grown in some New York or other 

 distant nursery, and these, after a year or two of growth in 

 the local nursery, are sold as home-grown stock. Such 

 trees are more valuable than those generally supplied by the 

 travelling agent, and give good satisfaction, but they are far 

 less valuable than well-grown trees planted and budded 



