38 SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY OF SAN ANTONIO 



trees succumbed during this trying period. The drought 

 was broken by several rains toward the close of the year. 



The year 1912 opened with conditions favorable for the 

 orchard, the winter being uniformly cold and good rains 

 falling in late winter and in the spring. The peach crop, 

 for the first time in the history of the orchard, was ample. 

 Many of the trees, despite the drought of the three pre- 

 ceding years, bore as much fruit as a tree should attempt 

 to mature. The rainfall for the year (23.73 inches) was 

 favorably distributed but still below normal. Several more 

 of the peach-trees died during the year, which however was 

 to be expected in an orchard nine or ten years old. 



The year 1913 opened with further calamities for the 

 orchard, the elements being apparently determined on its 

 ruin. On February 26th another hail-storm, nearly as de- 

 structive as the first, visited the orchard, and this was fol- 

 lowed on March 25th by a heavy frost. The rainfall was 

 rather favorable till autumn, when it became excessive. 

 The total ior the year was 37.68 inches. 



PRESENT CONDITION OF THE ORCHARD. 



A short account of the present condition of the orchard, 

 now 10 to 11 years old, should be instructive. Only 24 of 

 the 55 original trees are still alive, and many of these are 

 in a decrepit condition. The eleven plum-trees originally 

 planted are all dead, the last having succumoed in 1911. 

 This result is not so unfavorable when one considers that 

 the species is short-lived by nature. Twenty of the orig- 

 inal 34 peach-trees are still alive, but only five are in good 

 condition. The remainder are declining, as shown by the 

 presence of dead branches, sun-scald, etc. Eight pear- 

 trees were included in the original planting. Four of 

 these, which stood where the soil was shallow, did not thrive 

 and were dug up after a few years, another died of disease, 

 and the remaining three are still in first-class condition. 

 As the pear is naturally long-lived, these trees will prob- 

 ably last for many years to come. Of the two apple-trees, 

 one (of the Becker variety) is still alive and thrifty. 



