PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 167 



sort for cultivation upon all the red lands of New Jersey. It is highly- 

 important that all pear orchards should be thoroughly underdrained. 

 There is nothing equal to wood ashes and soluble phosphates. Anthracite 

 coal ashes are valueless except as a mechanical divisor in clayey soil, 

 I have tried the experiment of using fusil oil and lime in the soil around 

 pear trees, I think, with success, increasing the flavor. One of the most 

 important things in pear culture is to keep the bark of the trees clean aud 

 healthy by the use of caustic soda-wash — one pound dissolved in one gallon 

 of water. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter. — I am just beginning to learn how to cultivate 

 fruit, although I thought I knew ten years ago. One great error is in 

 allowing trees to overbear. There is no practice more profitable than 

 thinning the fruit. The art of gathering is one that cannot be taught in 

 books nor orally; it must be learned by practical experience. Farmers 

 generally do not sufficiently discriminate in picking pears and apples. It 

 is a common practice to commence upon one side of an orchard and gather 

 clean as they go. I find it profitable to go over my orchard three times, at 

 intervals of about a week. The proper season for eating the Glout Morceau, 

 which is an excellent pear, is January. 



Dr. Trimble, of New Jersey. — Gansill's Bergamot is one of our most 

 delicious summer pears. It is very apt to be blown off before fully matured. 

 I found this summer that some which were blown from the twig and fell 

 upon spurs and lodged in the tree, where they remained until ripened, were 

 much more delicious than those ripened in the house. 



Prof Mapes. — I doubt the necessity of thinning fruit if the trees are 

 furnished with sufficient sustenance to perfect all the fruit that sets. At 

 first, I allowed my dwarf pear trees to ripen twenty-five pears, the next 

 year fifty, which some experienced men said would kill the trees, but the 

 next year I had an average of one hundred, and one Vicar of Winkfield 

 dwarf perfected over two hundred. The only manure used was superphos- 

 phate of lime ; the soil was underdrained and deeply pulverized. 



What is the Best Apple ? 



Mr. W. S. Carpenter. — I consider the Gravenstein one of the best apples 

 grown. 



Mr. Solon Robinson thought the Pomme Royal; this apple is also known 

 by the name of Dyer and Bearburthen. 



Mr. W. S. Carpenter said the Porter was equal to either, and a very 

 profitable one as a market apple. All three are excellent. 



The Adirondac Grape. i 



The Rev. Mr. Weaver, of Fordham, stated that he had just seen a letter 

 from Mr. John W. Bailey, of Plattsburgh, which says that he shall have a 

 few vines of this variety this autumn to sell at five dollars each. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter stated that Mr. Fuller, who has seen the original 

 Adirondac grape viae, says it is a strong grower, with hardy leaves, better 

 clusters than Isabella, ripening two weeks earlier, with berries as large 

 as Black Hamburg. He also remarked that this grape would be a great 

 acquisition to our list of fruits. 



