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The Chairman called on Solon Robinson, who stated that he had 

 nothing to offer but what was well known to all present j that is 

 that fruit is at present very scarce and high, and he feared the 

 cause of it was a general malady affecting all fruit trees. It is 

 well known that the Baldwin apple is failing, and perhaps going 

 out of existence in the land of its origin. Florida once produced 

 as fine oranges as ever grew in any part of the world, and in 

 extravagant abundance ; but a little mite of an insect is destroy- 

 ing the trees from the face of the earth. Here at our own door, 

 in New Jersey, we can see how the peach trees are failing, and 

 everywhere the apples are less fair and rich, and trees less pro- 

 ductive than formerly. Now, if there is a remedy within the 

 reach of man's power, we ought to search for it and apply it. At 

 least we ought to think, and if there is anything that we can do 

 to make those who plant trees and grow fruit think upon this 

 subject, we should do it earnestly. Upon the subject of planting 

 trees there does appear to be an excess of ignoranse, or want of 

 thought, among farmers. The common method is to dig a little 

 hole into a hard soil, and stick in a clump of a tree, with a few 

 club roots, and pound down the dirt with a maul, and then let 

 the ground grow up to grass, and expect the tree to grow and 

 produce fruit. Now I have in my mind a gentleman who, by a 

 careful preparation of the ground and sjDecial manuring of the 

 trees, has produced healthy wood and abundant crops of fruit at 

 his option, and, at the risk of saying what has been said before, I 

 will ask that gentleman to favor us with some remarks upon this 

 subject. 



Prof. Mapes — I have experimented ten years, till I have found 

 that I can make pear trees grow wood or produce fruit. By the 

 use of a fertilizer applied to a large cargo of imported shriveled trees, 

 a friend saved the life of all to which it was applied, while all 

 others died. By applying certain fertilizers I have produced very 

 large crops of pears year after year. My dwarf pear trees this 

 year averaged 200 large pears per year. In putting out a pear 

 tree I top them severely. I surflice-plowed and sub-soiled as deep 

 as possible. I then dug a hole four feet deep and four feet wide 

 and filled it with surface soil. I then bored with a post auger 



