130 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



winter. Our spring and fall seasons are warmer than in the same latitude 

 east, but our mid-winter is colder. Last winter our thermometer fell 16 

 degrees below zero, which killed many of the peach y)uds. I think the 

 killing point of cold for the fruit bud of the peach is between 10 and 20 

 degrees below zero, varying a(!cording to the condition of the tree. Expe- 

 rience : My latitude is 41 degrees 26 minutes.'ii The fruit bud has been 

 killed about two years out of three. I tried burying the small tree in the 

 soil, and all the limbs and, stalk of the tree killed in the hard frozen earth. 

 Two of my neighbors tried the same experiment, with the same result. 

 But to bend down, and cover with boards, rails, or brush will save them." 

 R. T. Ostrander, of Geneva, Walworth county, Wis., expresses the 

 same opinion about peach trees winter killing in Iowa ; that it is owing to 

 its remoteness from large bodies of water, and instances the fact that 

 peaches fail in the southern tier of counties in New York, and succeed 

 further north, near the lakes. In Iowa fogs are not so prevalent, and 

 winds are drier than near the lakes. Further west, other trees gradually 

 fail, until none but the cotton-wood thrives. 



The Peach Leaf Curl Disease 



Mr. 0. also says : "A word on curled peach leaves, which your Club do 

 not appear to understand. The leaves froze just as the bud was opening. 

 Leaves from the new buds, after the 25th of June, will be fair as usual. 

 Pear spurs that freeze in the same way die to the heart of the branch, and 

 sometimes kill the branch." 



Mr. John G. Bergen. — This man is certainly mistaken in his theory about 

 the peach leaf curl. If it is caused by cold weather, why is it that it was 

 xmknown thirty years ago? I do not think that I have noticed it further 

 back than twenty years, and I certainly have been familiar with peach 

 trees much longer than that. We have much more evidence that the 

 disease is caused by insects than by cold weather. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter. — I am quite positive that I have had the curl 

 upon my peach trees when it was impossible to attribute it to cold. And 

 as to pcacli buds killing by very cold weather, that depends upon the 

 aspect of the ground ; for upon a hill side facing north I have grown 

 peaches after the trees bad borne 24 degrees below zero. 



Strawberries — Immense Production. 



John C. Snyder, of Tallmadge, Summit Co., Ohio, writes as follows: 

 "I have been much gratified in reading the discussions of the American 

 Institute Farmers' Club. It may be interesting to know how large a quan- 

 tity of strawberries can be produced by proper culture on a small piece of 

 ground. From a bed 40 by 41 feet, I raised, lastseason, (1862) 586 quarts, 

 or 18 bushels 10 quarts strawberries, the average size, 3| inches in circum- 

 ference, many measuring 5 inches, with but very few small ones. I have a lot 

 adjoining said bed that promises a greater yield. I can now, June 11, 

 count on several single plants, from 225 to 390 perfectly formed berries; 

 they are of the Wilson seedling, set out one year since. I have had several 

 years' experience in the cultivation of the strawberry, and have observed 

 that each variety requires peculiar adaptation of soil for its perfect devel- 



