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THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
THE STATE SOCIETIES . 
Resume of the Proceedings of Horticulturists at Annual Meetings 
— Conditions In Kansas—Practical Observations Regarding the 
Growth of the Keiffer Pear in NewJersey—Indiana and Pen. 
Insula Meetings—Nurserymen Head Lists of Officers. 
Kansas State— Thirty-fourth annual meeting at Topeka, Dec. 27- 
29, 1900. In his report, the active and able secretary, William H. 
Barnes, said: “ Local horticultural societies, here is the great point 
wherein we lack. There are 40 in the state; there should be 400; and 
if there were 400 live, local societies in our state, Kansas would be the 
garden of the world. The memberships run from 10 up to 170 to 
a society. Many of our counties should have three or four large, 
working societies within their borders. If they had, fake nurseries 
would stand no show; insect pests would be practically obliterated; 
every farm home would have its table supplied with the goodly products 
of the soil; importations of indigenous fruits would be rare; our can. 
neries would be working on full time and full supplies; and our expor¬ 
tations of home grown horticultural products would be very large and 
Kansas fruits would rival California fruits in the markets of the world. 
Why do we import potatoes, onions, cabbage, berries, apples, plums, 
cherries, peaches, water- and musk-melons during the season when our 
own are being harvested and should have precedence in the markets of 
our state ? The main reason, I believe, is the lack of association and 
combination for educational, practical and financial benefits, a lack of 
horticultural co-operation.” Fred Wellhouse was elected president; 
W. H. Barnes, secretary. • 
North Carolina State— At Asheville, Dec. 19—22nd annual meet¬ 
ing. Resolutions were passed favoring increase of $25,000 to Division of 
Vegetable Physiology and Pathology of the Department of Agricul¬ 
ture to extend study of plant diseases; and increase of $10,000 to Divi¬ 
sion of Pomology, to extend present markets and open new ones, and 
to circulate facts of best methods of harvesting and marketing fruit. 
These officers were elected: President, J. Van Lindley, Pomona; vice- 
president, W..F. Massey, Raleigh; secretary-treasurer, Franklin Sher¬ 
man, Raleigh. 
New Jersey State —Twenty-sixth annual meeting, at Trenton, 
January 3-4. The Rural New Yorker says: “ A most interesting 
debate followed the reply of President D. D. Denise to the question: 
‘ Is it advisable to plant more Kieffer pear orchards ? ’ President 
Denise said the tree is a nice, rapid grower, bears young, and is less 
subject to blight than other varieties; quality is much improved of late 
years, and now equal to some others; 25 per cent, of the orchards set 
are neglected and never come into bearing. The local markets are 
overstocked, but there is a good distant demand. His little orchard 
of 1,200 trees has made more money than the remainder of farm. 
Prices no lower than best apples, and the yield is greater. In 1900 the 
trees yielded over 200 barrels per acre, at net profit of 50 cents per bar¬ 
rel, or $100 per acre. Neighbor with neglected orchard shipped un. 
graded Kieffers and got only seven cents per barrel net return ! Best 
and highest colored fruit is grown on land not too rich. Should be 
planted from 20x20 to 35x35 feet apart for best results. Every second 
year in poor soils should have 1,000 pounds or more of good com. 
mercial fertilizer. Must always have good culture, thorough pruning 
and thinning. Should be picked and put in storage as soon as the 
fruit will separate from stem. J. S. Collins, the largest Kieffer pear 
•grower in the state, said that the prices in 1900 were very low; could 
not dispose of all his crop in southern part of state. Discussion brought 
out the opinion that the canning test of 1899 was of no value, as many 
of the heaviest canners used a chemically prepared sweet, with 50 times 
the strength of sugar, to save expense. This was satisfactory when 
first put up, as the color was better than when sugar was used, but 
later the preparation attacked the cans, giving a tinny taste to con¬ 
tents, and even ate holes through the cans, causing a total loss. One 
packing firm lost $50,000. Those canned with sugar found a good 
market, though the chemically prepared stock injured the sale of all; 
and doubtless caused the decline in value of Kieffers in South Jersey 
last fall, as the chemical tests were largely made in tbat portion of 
the state. Kieffers, picked when two-thirds grown, and ripened in 
the dark, were of best quality, but carried to market poorly. Rust or 
clouding of the Kieffer received considerable attention. It is thought 
to be a weakness inherent in the Japan pears, as their skin is thin and 
tender, and is not caused by insects. Late frosts in spring, after fruit 
is set, early frosts in fall, excessive spraying, too thick folige and lack 
of pruning were given as causes. It consists of a corky growth, 
favored by lack of ventilation. It will remain, but care, culture and 
pruning to let in sunlight will lessen it. The crop of Kieffer pears in 
New Jersey is ten times as great as all other varieties. Other good pears 
are Manning’s Elizabeth, Clapp, Bartlett, Seckel, Duchess, Anjou and 
Lawrence in order of ripening. They sold at $2 to $3 per barrel, while 
Kieffer did not bring more than $1.25 on the average. These officers 
were elected: President, Henry E. Hale, Princeton; vice-president, 
W. H. Reid, Tennants; secretary, II. I. Budd, Trenton; treasurer, I. J. 
Blackwell, Titusville. 
Indiana State.— Fortieth annual session in Indianapolis, Dec. 18. 
President C. M. Hobbs said that the successful horticulturist of the 
future must make thorough preparation and employ scientific and up- 
to date methods. He urged the necessity for an increased appropria¬ 
tion for horticultural work. The following officers were elected: 
President, C. M. Hobbs, Bridgeport; vice-presidents, Mrs W. W. Ste¬ 
vens, Salem; George P. Campbell, Bloomington; Amos Garretson, 
Pendleton; J. C Groosman, Wolcottvillej secretary, Professor James 
Troop, Lafayette; treasurer, Sylvester Johnson, Irvington; executive 
committee. E.Y. Teas, Greens Fork; Joe A. Burton, Orleans; B. Custer, 
Loganport. 
Peninsula. —At Middleton, Del., January 9-11. Captain Emery 
contended that only whale oil soap and hydrocyanic gas are of use in 
the treatment of San Jose scale. Others argued that kerosene and crude 
oil are effective and cause no injury to the tree when applied in proper 
season. Orlando Harrison, of Berlin, Md., was elected president; A. 
N. Brown, Wyoming, Del., vice-president; Wesley Webb, Dover, Del., 
secretary-treasurer. 
CALIFORNIA COMMENT. 
Here is what they say in California. From the California 
Fruit Grower, January 12th: 
Upon the assertion of Alexander Craw, horticultural quarantine 
officer, nursery stock is frequently received in this state, accompanied 
by the official certificate that it is free from injurious insects, but the 
trees upon inspection are found to be seriously infested with root borers 
and root aphis, as well as scale insects and egg-clusters of leaf-eating 
pests. The lesson to be learned from these facts is, that certificate or 
no certificate, all imported nursery stock should be inspected at destin¬ 
ation and fumigated with hydrocyanic acid gas in the proper proportion. 
If this is done there will be less danger of introducing new insect pests 
into the state. 
Nursery stock has been received here from Japan'which has been 
accompanied with certificate to the effect that the trees had been disin. 
fected before shipment, and there was every evidence that the trees had 
been really dipped, and yet upon examination a large percentage of the 
scale insects were found to be alive, that healthy eggs were present and 
that young were issuing from them. Neither an inspection of the nur¬ 
sery, nor a dipping of the nursery stock prior to shipment can take 
place of a prompt inspection and fumigation at the point of destination. 
If it is desired to keep new insect pests out of the state the plan sug¬ 
gested will be followed closely. 
EASTERN NURSERYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
The Eastern Association of Nurserymen has elected these officers: 
President, William C. Barry, Rochester; vice-president, C. H. Hawks, 
Rochester; secretary-treasurer, William Pitkin, Rochester: executive 
committee, Irving Rouse, Rochester; Wing R. Smith, Syracuse; George 
A. Sweet, Dansville; Charles J. Brown, Rochester; Charles W. Stuart, 
Newark. 
Can you afford to be without The National Nurseryman, the 
only journal in which you obtain nursery news exclusively, when it is 
only $1 per year ? 
