240 



I- I R S T FR U I TS . 



gascaricnsis or traveler's tree, Martiiiezia erosa, Cvi^s 

 Lehinaui, valued at $15 ; C. Kiimpliii, PritcJiardia Pa- 

 li/wa, PtycJiospcrina Alexandrce, Tlvinax elcgans and 

 Astvocaryitm argeiiteiiiii were shown in fine specimens. 



This was probably the most important orchid show 

 yet held in the country, and it reflects credit upon the 

 industry and enterprise of the promoters. It is appar- 

 ent that if flower shows continue to increase in extent 

 and frequency, a horticultural hall will be needed ; for 

 while the present amphitheatre is elegant and commo- 

 dious it is too high and has too little top light for the 

 proper display of plants. l. h. b. 



State Horticultural Association of Pennsylva- 

 nia. — The thirty-second annual meeting of the State 

 Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania was held in 

 Lancaster, Pa., on January 21 and 22. It was one of 

 the best attended meetings ever held by the Society. 



President Suavely, in his annual address, called atten- 

 tion to the presence of a number of the original mem- 

 bers who assisted in the organization of the association 

 in Lancaster in i860. Of the forty-five founders only 

 fifteen are living. What changes have been wrought 

 since this first meeting ! Fruits which were rarely seen 

 on the farmer's table are to-day common everywhere. 

 Fruit growing cannot be overdone if well done. We 

 must not confine ourselves to a single crop, but to many 

 crops. Instruction in plant life should be given in the 

 public schools. 



William M. Benninger, of Lehigh county, said that 

 peach trees should be set out when one year old, and the 

 planting should always be done in the spring. Original 

 peach stocks are commonly used for budding. Prune 

 the trees every year, and while the trees are in bloom. 

 Casper Hiller, of Lancaster county, denounced pruning 

 fruit trees when in leaf, and said that trees are ruined 

 in that way. Joseph W. Thomas, of Chester county, 

 preferred spring planting of peaches, the trees to be two 

 years old. William H. Moon, of Bucks county, said 

 that some of the most successful trees ever set out were 

 planted in the fall. Henry M. Engle, of Lancaster 

 county, said a good word in behalf of fall planting. E. 

 C. Brinser, of Dauphin county, explained Mr. Hale's 

 method of pruning the trees during the blossoming pe- 

 riod. S. B. Heiges, of York, had the best results from 

 pruning in the fall. Professor Heiges said that he made 

 two applications of unleached hickory ashes to his peach 

 trees every year. He gave a formula for making a com- 

 plete peach food : Muriate of potash, nitrate of soda 

 and sulphate of ammonia each one part ; mix with 

 twenty-two parts of ground bone. Apply from four to 

 five pounds of this mixture to each tree. Mr. Hiller 

 said that South Carolina rock would give the above in a 

 cheaper and simpler form. 



Henry W. Comfort, of Bucks county, read a paper on 

 "Chestnut Culture." He described several varieties of 

 chestnuts grown by him, and advised grafting altogether. 

 Seedlings ripen at different times, which is inconvenient. 

 As to whether chestnut culture will pay depends on cir- 



cumstances. Casper Hiller said budding chestnut trees: 

 is uncertain work, but those that grow do better than 

 those that are grafted. 



The proceedings of the second day opened with the 

 presentation of the annual report of Cyrus T. Fox, 

 Chairman of the General Fruit Committee. The apple 

 and peach crops were a failure in almost every county. 



Peaches, usually a failure in Pennsylvania for some 

 years, save in several districts, were conspicuously ab- 

 sent this year. Never was there such a dearth of peaches 

 in our markets. Some beautiful specimens of seedling 

 peaches were exhibited at the York county fair. Plums 

 are not grown to any extent in this state. The crop 

 was a total failure. The quince crop was below the 

 average and inferior, although there was some good fruit 

 here and there. Of cherries there was only a partial 

 crop of fair fruit. The sweet varieties yielded best. 

 In some localities there were abundant crops of grapes, 

 and in others no fruit at all. Mildew and rot affected 

 this crop badly. Small fruits give better returns than 

 anything else in the general list. It was almost too wet 

 for strawberries, and the season was short. The fruit 

 was of fine size and quality. Raspberries, blackberries, 

 gooseberries and currants were very good. 



Half an hour was devoted to a reunion of the original 

 members of the Association. Of the fifteen survivors 

 the following were present : Henry M. Engle, Casper 

 Hiller, Levi S. Reist, William P. Brinton, Charles Din- 

 gee, Christian Musser and Dr. S. S. Rathvon. Thomas 

 Meehan, who was present on the previous day, could not 

 remain for these exercises. Letters were read from 

 Samuel Miller, of Missouri ; George J. Hughes, of New 

 Jersey ; and Dr. J. K. Eshleman, John Rutter, Josiah 

 Hoopes and J. C. Ludweiler, of Pa. charter members. 



"Shall we renew our strawberry beds?" was an- 

 swered by Mr. Brinser in the affirmative. 



Concord, Clinton, Worden, Moore's Early and Ives' 

 were mentioned as good grapes for Pennsylvania. 



The steps to be taken for counteracting "yellows" in 

 the peach were referred to the Committee on Legislation. 



It was agreed to hold the next meeting in York, Pa., 

 on January 20 and 21, 1892. 



The committee to audit the treasurer's account re- 

 ported a balance of $323.23 in the treasury. 



A resolution was adopted commending the efforts that 

 were being made to secure a fine horticultural display 

 at the World's Columbian Exposition, and pledging the 

 Association to do its full share. 



The officers for iSgi are as follows: president, Will- 

 iam H. Moon ; vice-presidents, Henry M. Engle, Josiah 

 Hoopes, J. F. Smith ; secretary, E. B. Engle ; corres- 

 ponding secretary, William P. Brinton ; treasurer, J. 

 Hibbard Bartram ; librarian, Thomas J. Edge; professor 

 of Botany, Thomas Meehan, Philadelphia ; professor of 

 Entomology, S. S. Rathvon, Lancaster ; professor of 

 Chemistry, S. B. Heiges York; professor of Ornith- 

 ology, Dr. B. H. Warren, West Chester ; chairman 

 of General Fruit Committee, Cyrus T. Fox, Reading. 



Cyrus T. Fox. 



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