No. 4.] FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. 345 



large, but that it would be of fine quality. Mr. Marshall 

 has his land equipped with an irrigation system, consisting 

 of main pipes arranged along the upper side.s of the beds with 

 a three-fourths inch brass faucet at the end of each row, so 

 that during droughts a continuous stream can be run along 

 each row of plants. After the upper section of the bed 

 has become saturated, the pipes are arranged across the 

 field lower down, and water thus applied until the whole field 

 is irrigated. The supply of water is obtained from the city 

 works, at a cost of ten cents per thousand gallons, and an 

 unlimited supply guaranteed. In addition to the fruiting 

 field, Mr. Marshall showed the company a newly set field of 

 ten acres, which was also provided with irrigating pipes 

 with faucets for each row. The system of planting here 

 practised consists in setting only strong, healthy plants, high 

 manuring and the most thorough cultivation. Each plant is 

 given an abundance of space to reach its greatest perfection. 

 The 3'oung plants only are preserved for fruiting, the old 

 plants being cut out when the thinning is done. 



From Mr. Marshall's place the party went to the place of 

 Mr. T. J. Sanderson, where some very vigorous and healthy 

 plum trees were inspected, they being literally covered with 

 fruit. 



The great lesson of the day, seen more or less at every 

 place visited, was that of the most thorough and skilful 

 cultivation, high fertilization and the production of only 

 fancy fruit. 



Fall Field Meetlng. 



A fall field meeting was held at Concord, Sept. 11, 1896. 

 About one hundred members and friends attended. The 

 first place visited was that of ]\Ir. Frank Wheeler, where 

 his greenhouses were first inspected. From the green- 

 houses the party proceeded to the vineyard and asparagus 

 field, about half a mile away, across the river. This vine- 

 yard is of great interest to all fruit growers, from the fact 

 that girdling the fruiting canes to hasten ripening has been 

 practised on a large scale for eleven years. The land is sit- 

 uated only a few feet above the level of the river flowing 

 near, and this practice became a necessity to save the crop 

 from early frosts in the fall, very few ripe crops having been 



