FRUIT REPORTS. 
197 
Nearly all varieties of plums, except Wildgoose, are doing well. Brad- 
shaw, Canada Egg and Lombard are best, followed closely by Arctic, Sara- 
toga, St. Ann, Green Gage,' Chautauqua, Saunders, Abundance and Damson. 
Several varieties of cherries grow with more or less success, but on the 
whole think the old red cherry grown here for years is the best. For grapes 
(not for profit), we would recommend Concord, Delaware, Niagara and Moore. 
The culture of small fruits is carried on successfully. The high or bush 
cranberry seems well adapted to our climate and is worthy of mention. 
The cultivation of orchards in this section is the exception rather than the 
rule, grass being allowed to grow among the trees. Could the grass be kept 
out and the land cultivated, as is practiced in the fruit section of the west, 
the business would be very much more remunerative than it now is. 
Well composted manure and wood ashes spread broadcast are the chief and 
the best fertilizers. 
The borer is the worst enemy to the fruit tree. The forest caterpillar came 
upon our orchards for the first time in hordes last season and has already 
commenced its work of destruction in greater numbers than last year. A 
strong composition of paraffine or Fairbanks Gold dust, kerosene and water, as 
hot as it will do to use on the trees, is instant death to this pest. We apply 
it with a spray pump as they cluster about the trunks and larger limbs. 
It would be difficult to give with any degree of accuracy the amount of land 
devoted to fruit raising in this or adjoining counties. We have an orchard 
of about four hundred trees. The apple crop of 1898 was a fairly good one 
and was worth in our home market $3.00 per barrel. The plum crop was 
very abundant and sold at from eighty cents to $1.00 per peck. 
NEW JERSEY. 
BY I. J. BLACKWELL, TITUSVILLE, CHAIRMAN. 
1. Fruit Section— New Jersey 'is a great fruit farm, beginning with Cape 
May County, where strawberries, tomatoes and melons ripen early and pro- 
duce good crops. Peaches, apples and pears are productive throughout the 
State. The peach is now grown most in the northwestern part of the State; 
strawberries are extra fine and productive around Hilton. Early apples are 
grown extensively in the southern half of the State, and winter apples in all 
sections north of and including Monmouth county. Currants, blackberries., 
grapes, cherries, plums, peaches, pears and apples are produced in paying 
quantities in all parts of New Jersey. 
2. Trap-rock soil gives the best results. New Jersey has about all grades 
of soil. The southern half varies from sand to loam; the northern is moun- 
tain land, generally with some heavy clay soils. The heavy clays are not 
good fruit lands, unless thoroughly drained; limestone soils are the best for 
apples, peaches and pears. 
3. Varieties: Apples, northern part of State— Baldwin**, Pound Sweet*, 
Fameuse*, Wine, Hays*, Rhode Island Greening*, Northern Spy*, Cooper, 
Market*. Central part of the State— Smith Cider**, York Imperial*, Bough**, 
Alexander**, Broadwell**, Cooper Market**, Early Ripe*, Williams Favorite 
**, Garrettson**, Long Island Russet**, Nerof, size medium; color red with 
lighter stripes; from round flattened; quality 8; season January; for dessert, 
cooking or market; origin; Princeton, Mercer county. Shonef size large; 
form round, conical; color red, shaded darker with lighter spots; flavor mild 
