October io, 1894.] 



Garden and Forest. 



409 



dally in the summer months, when a few days' transit is 

 sufficient to ruin them. At the Arboretum I have had occa- 

 sion to remove them at various seasons of the year, and I 

 have come to the conclusion, where the plants are to be 

 moved but a short distance, and are kept out of the ground 

 only a short time, that they can be transplanted as safely 

 from the last of August to the last of October as they can 

 be in the spring. 1 have removed Spruces, Thuyas, Pines, 

 Retinosporas, Junipers, Hemlocks and Yews in large quan- 

 tities from the middle of September to the latter part of 

 October with little, if any, loss. In fact, those moved 

 about the istof June suffered more than those transplanted 

 late in October under similar conditions. 



The one indispensable condition for success is never to 

 allow the roots to become dry, or nearly dry, and to have 

 good, deep, well-pulverized soil all ready to plant them 

 in. If planted well and firmly they will require but little 

 water unless the season is very dry, and even then one 

 good soaking when they are first planted will generally 

 suffice. Many valuable trees are killed by overvvatering, 

 and thus causing the roots to rot. Last fall we had occa- 

 sion to move several hundred conifers in October to make 

 room for a new plantation of shrubs, and all the species 

 above mentioned were represented in the lot. They were 

 carefully dug and planted on the same day, and at this 

 time ninety-eight per cent, of them are in good condition ; 

 in fact, they are in much better condition than another lot 

 of about the same number that was transplanted from the 

 last of May to the first week in June. Conifers, as a rule, 

 seem to make new roots about September, or as soon as 

 the ground begins to get moist again after the summer 

 droughts, and if they are not carried too far this is a favor- 

 able time to transplant them. The sum of the whole mat- 

 ter seems to be this : Where trees are to be transported a 

 long distance it is safer and better to plant them as soon as 

 the ground begins to get warm in spring. Where the plants 

 are close at hand, or need to be carried comparatively 

 short distances, and can be handled at once when they 

 arrive, from the last week in August to the middle of Sep- 

 tember is an equally safe time, especially if a light mulch 

 can be put around the roots at the approach of freezing 

 weather, although the lot I have spoken of had no mulch 

 whatever. 



Arnold Arboretum. Jackson DaWSOH. 



Exhibitions. 



The Horticultural Institute held at Fredonia, 

 New York. 



THE state institutes, which have been held in Chautauqua 

 County, New York, each fall during the past three years, 

 have been remarkable for their excellence and for the man;' 

 exhibits of fruits, flowers and vegetables made each year. The 

 attendance at the meetings has also been good, although the 

 institutes occurred when nearly all the horticulturists of this 

 region were in the midst of harvesting, packing and shipping 

 the grape crop. Grapes are by far the most extensively culti- 

 vated fruit of. this section. The grape-growers are a wide- 

 awake body of men ; they are on the lookout for all new ideas 

 which can assist them in the work tha't occupies nearly all 

 their time, from the beginning to the close of each year, 

 and in this respect they excel most farmers, who are slow to 

 take advantage of new methods. 



The third annual grape, fruit, flower and vegetable show 

 and horticultural institute was held in Fredonia, New York, 

 September 26th, 27th and 28th. While, in making out the pro- 

 gramme of exercises, the particular needs of the grape section 

 were considered ; nevertheless, some features of this institute 

 have more than a local interest, and, indeed, should attract 

 the attention of horticulturists in all parts of the country. 



The exhibits of grapes and other fruits have always pos- 

 sessed the greatest interest. The various growers have 

 exhibited their products in friendly rivalry and entirely 

 without compensation, as no premiums were offered for the 

 best shown. This same course was again followed this year, 

 but another element was introduced, in accordance with a 

 suggestion made by George T. Powell, of Ghent, New York, 

 that the grapes should be judged in a systematic manner with 

 regard to the following points : Flavor, size, color, symmetry 



and firmness. Flavor was valued at ten points and each of 

 the remaining items at five points. This allowed thirty points 

 to represent perfect fruit. All plates of Concord and Niagara 

 grapes were examined in accordance with this standard by a 

 committee of two, of which Mr. Powell was the chairman ; 

 three men were on the committee which judged the seedling 

 fruits. The Concords were found to vary but little ; the 

 Niagaras, on the contrary, showed much variation in all 

 points, except that of firmness. 



Much interest was shown by grape-growers when the report 

 of the committee was made, and although comparatively few 

 records were read there were already indications of uniformity 

 in the qualities of grapes grown on similar soils, and each soil 

 seemed to possess a certain modifying influence on the grape 

 grown upon it. This list is to be made as complete as possi- 

 ble, and it is hoped that the Grape Belt, of Brocton, will pub- 

 lish it in full. This new feature, introduced into the exhibit 

 at the institute held in Fredonia, is full of promise for the 

 future. It gives assurance that the time is coming when each 

 horticulturist will make a close study of the character of the 

 soil and of the particular varieties which will give the best 

 results upon such soil. It marks that the time is passing away 

 when a certain plant, as, for instance, the Niagara Grape, will 

 be planted where the grower happens to want it, instead of 

 where the plant will thrive best. It is also a step toward 

 greater care and the exercise of greater judgment in the pro- 

 duction and sale of fruits. 



Another feature which is recommended to be introduced in 

 future exhibits is the formation of a division which shall be 

 devoted to the commercial side of fruit-growing, to packages 

 and to methods of packing. This can also be made of great 

 value if the idea is properly carried out. 



With reference to the arrangement of future exhibits the 

 committee suggests that — 



"In order to get the most good from such a collection of 

 fruits it would appear to be desirable that each label should 

 bear the name of the variety grown, the name of the grower, 

 his post-office address, and the composition and the character 

 of the soil upon which the fruits were grown. By composi- 

 tion of the soil is meant whether it be sand, gravel, clay, etc.; 

 its character may be described by telling of its elevation, 

 drainage, etc. These data would be of the greatest value in 

 determining the adaptation of particular varieties to the 

 various soils of this region, and benefits of incalculable 

 value should be derived from the proper study of such data. 

 In fact, the horticulturists, not only of Chautauqua County, but 

 of the entire country, are in great need of exactly this informa- 

 tion, and the grape-growers of this region are now in a fair 

 way of taking the lead in this important branch of horticul- 

 tural investigation. It is recommended that in future exhibits 

 made by the truit-growers of this section the several varieties 

 of soil may be well represented by the varieties of fruits 

 grown upon them. In this manner the value of certain soils 

 for the production of the many varieties of fruits can be 

 clearly determined. The need of such work will be best ap- 

 preciated by the men making the exhibits. 



" The amount of fruit upon a plate should be uniform 

 throughout the exhibits. It is obviously unfair for one grower 

 to exhibit eight or ten times as much fruit as another if the two 

 lots are to be judged by the same standards. When a certain 

 number of individual specimens — five, for example — is upon 

 each plate, the judgments will be more fair and accurate. 



" The judges would also be materially assisted in their work 

 if arrangements could be made by which all the exhibits of a 

 certain variety could be brought together in one collection 

 immediately belore their examination. The work could then 

 proceed with greater rapidity, and the labor of the judges be 

 considerably lightened. 



"The committee would further suggest the establishment 

 of another division in the future exhibits which may be made 

 in this region. The division is intended to include all those 

 features which have a direct bearing upon the marketing' of 

 the fruit, but the study of fruit-packages and the methods of 

 packing fruit should be made the principal aim of the division. 

 Designs of new crates, the decoration or ornamentation of 

 those now in use, the wrapping of individual specimens to 

 preserve them or to render them more attractive, etc., all 

 would tend to give shippers a better knowledge regarding the 

 commercial side of the fruit industry, and the returns should 

 increase directly in proportion to the amount of knowledge 

 which may be gained in regard to the various demands of any 

 given market, on the best methods of supplying such demands. 

 It is believed by the committee that such an exhibit would 

 rival in value the one in which are placed the varieties of 

 fruits, labeled as above described." 



