LIGHl FROM THE SOCIETIES. 



379 



Pruning Peach Trees. — Proper pruning is very essen- 

 tial to the beauty of the tree as well as to the production 

 of f>rs* class fruit. The first season's work should con- 

 sist in rubbing off all shoots from the ground to a point 

 about two feet high. The next year select from four to 

 six small limbs along the space of one foot, taking care 

 to have them as evenly distributed as possible around 

 the body of the tree as well as up and down. If either 

 side of the tree has a majority of limbs let it be on the 

 side of the prevailing winds, and avoid the formation of 

 crotches. This work is the laying out of the frame for 

 your orchard, and will require a great deal of mechani- 

 cal ingenuity, as well as imagination, to do it properly. 

 The pruning after this will consist of rubbing oft all 

 shoots which start where not wanted this season. An 

 annual trimming out of superfluous branches and cut- 

 ting back of strong growths will be necessary in order 

 to preserve reasonably open and well-ventilated tops 

 and round, compact heads. Trees treated in this man- 

 ner ripen their fruit perfectly, and it rots less than if the 

 trees were allowed to choke up with inside branches, — 

 R. Morrill, Mich. Hort . Society. 



Fruit List for Wisconsin. — The special committee of 

 the Wisconsin State Horticultural Society recommends 

 the following varieties : 



Apples. — Ten best varieties, hardiness, productive- 

 ness and quality taken into consideration, are, Olden- 

 burg, Wealthy, Fameuse, Talman Sweet, Wolf River, 

 McMahan, Yellow Transparent, Hibernal, Longfield 

 and Newell. Additional list for special locations : 

 Tetofsky, Red Astrachan, St. Lawrence, Fall Orange, 

 Fall Spitzenberg, Alexander, Utter, Westfield, Willow 

 Twig, Golden Russet, Walbridge, Pewaukee, Haas, 

 Plumb Cider, Roman Stem, Transparent and Repka 

 Malenka. 



Crab-cipplcs. —WWiiney, Gibb, Hyslop, Sweet Rus- 

 set, Transcendent, Martha, Novelty, and Spitzenberg. 



Tears. — Flemish Beauty, Early Bergamot (for trial 

 near Lake Michigan), Bartlett, Onondaga, (Swan Orange), 

 Seckel, Winter Nelis, Clapp Favorite, Anjou, Doyenne 

 d'Ete. 



Tlitms. — De Soto and Cheney. Near Lake Michigan, 

 Lombard, Imperial Gage, Yellow Egg (Magnum Bo- 

 num), Duane Purple. 



Cherries . — 'EngWsh Morello, Early and Late Rich- 

 mond (Kentish). 



Straivberrics. — For general cultivation and shipping 

 — Warfield, Sandoval, Crescent, and Wilson. For near 

 market and home gardens — Bubach, Warfield, Crescent, 

 Jessie, Wilson, Haverland, Manchester, Sandoval, Bu- 

 bach No. 5. Best varieties to furnish pollen for imper- 

 fect flowering kinds — Wilson, Capt. Jack, Michel 

 Early, Jessie, Sandoval. 



Grapes. — Moore Early, Worden, Concord, Dela- 

 ware, Brighton and Telegraph. 



Black Raspberries. — Gregg, Ohio, Souhegan, Ne- 

 maha (recommended with winter protection). 



A'ed Raspberries.— Cmhhen, Turner, Brandywine, 

 Shaffer, Marlboro (with winter protection). 



Blackberries. — Snyder, Stone Hardy, Ancient Briton. 

 Winter protection is recommended for all. 

 Dez^'berries. — Lucretia, Bartel. 



Currants. — Red Dutch, White Dutch, White Grape, 

 Victoria, Fay and Lee (black). 



Gooseberries. — Houghton, Downing and American 

 Cluster. 



Preserving Fruits. — When drying fruit it is important 

 not only that it shall be sound and of good quality, but 

 also that it shall be quickly prepared and rapidly dried. 

 When all moisture is expelled it will keep for years in a 

 dry place. One method of drying is to cook the fruit a 

 long time, reducing it as nearly as possible to a paste ; 

 spreading this in thin sheets and drying in the sun or by 

 evaporation. When free from moisture this fruit can be 

 packed in boxes and will keep indefinitely. Another 

 process of drying is to cook the fruit for a long time 

 with sugar and water and then partially dry it. In this 

 case the sugar is largely the preservative agent and the 

 drying goes on only until no syrup drips. Then the 

 fruit is packed closely in boxes or jars and will keep 

 well in any climate ; hardening, of course, when ex- 

 posed to the air for a considerable period. This fruit is 

 ready for use at any time, but is more of a confection 

 than a sauce. The more modern process, and by far 

 the most useful and healthful, is that of canning. The 

 destruction of germs and the exclusion of air are the 

 principles upon which canning is based. The article to 

 be preserved is cooked for a short time and then put in 

 jars from which the air has been expelled by heating 

 them to the boiling point. They are then sealed, and 

 when cold are set in a cool, dark place. If all the con- 

 ditions be right the fruit will keep for an unlimited num- 

 ber of years, and when opened will be found to have 

 nearly all the freshness and aroma of newly gathered 

 fruit. Now, this is true of the maiority of fruits, but 

 not of all. The strawberry, subjected to this process, 

 will come out a pale, spongy, insipid thing, whereas the 

 raspberry seems to have its color, flavor and odor inten- 

 sified. If, however, a generous amount of sugar be 

 added to the strawberry in cooking, it will retain its 

 shape, color and flavor. It is an error to attempt to can 

 this berry without sugar or with only a small amount. 

 Some fruits can be canned without heat or sugar. The 

 jar should be packed full of the fruit and then placed 

 under a faucet, having the water run in rapidly for a 

 moment, that all the air in the jar be displaced ; then 

 sealed and put away in a cool dark place. Perhaps not 

 many kinds of fruit would keep if put up in this manner. 

 Certainly I should have no expectation of success with 

 juicy fruit of any kind. I have, however, been success- 

 ful with rhubarb. Green gooseberries and some kinds 

 of plums can be preserved in this manner. It is a ques- 

 tion with me if the acid in these fruits does not have a 

 good deal to do with the keeping quality. — Miss Maria 

 Parloa, Mass. Hort. Society. 



Improving and Maintaining Fertility of Orchards. — 

 Prof. I. P. Roberts' essay read before the Western New 

 York Horticultural Society contained suggestions worth 



