The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-03-08
Meeting OF the Hooking Valley Horti-
cultural Society. ...
3 HoRTlcULTURAL Rooms,
LANCASTER, Feb. "a, '66.

eAtufat bOctety' .t ..
HoRTicULTURAL Rooms,
LANCASTER, Feb. "a, &c.
Society met pursuant to adjourn
mcnt-Prcsident Kinkead in the Chair
After reading and approval Of min.
utes, the Committee on Library re.
ported progress in the matter of pur-
chasing books. ..... ,...
Messrs. J, A. Hunter, Henry Reber,
Thos. Sturgeon and J. M. Gallagher
were then proposed and duly elected
members. ..f
Mr.. Boving, from the Council Of
Nine, reported its organization by the
appointment of, S. Snider, President,
and F. ]. Boving, Secretary.
The Librarian, Mr.. Maccracken,
read set Of rules adopted by him and
approved by the Council, for govern.
ment Of Library.
BY consent, an informal expression
was had among the members in refer.
encc to fruit prospects the coming sea-
son, as affected by the late cold wealth
er.
The general opinion was that peach
es were mostly killed, as we'll as the
earlier sorts of cherries, and plums,
except the damson, which, with the ap.
pie, pear, and grape, was believed not
to have received much injury.
Mr.. Clark, of the State Farm, thought
from present appearances, enough
peach buds were yet living there to
give an average half crop.
Mr.. Snidor reported his peaches and
cherries uninjured-his trees are on
the north slope ofa hill, wherethe frost
has not been out of tho ground since
fall. .-. .r.I
The conversation finally turned up
on the subject of the relative hardness
of buddcd and Seeding peaches, Mr..
Clark stating his apprehension that
growers would yet have to fall back on
good seedlings for hardness Mr.
Fetters stating that his experience in
clincd him to exactly the contrary
view. -.
The regular question, "Orch ard Cul-
ture," being taken up, Mr.. Work gave
his experience with two orchards
One had been planted partially be-
tween the trees of an old orchard, the
latter to be eventually removed. The
soil was gravelly. and part of the
time was cultivated, and a part of the
time hogs were turned in, they roofing
up the ground thoroughly, The fruit
here was fine and smooth; while ia the
other orchard, on a clay soil, where
the Grass had been allowed to grow to
sod, the fruit was knotty and inferi-
or. For two years past, hogs had been
kept out of the first named orchard
but it had been cultivated in barley
and clover--and last season a great
portion Of tho fruit in this was kno.ty.
Mr.. Maccracken read from Elliott in
support of the views taught by Mr..
Works experience-rcad also from H.
W. Beecher among other propositions,
that trees were benefited in pro.
portion to the extent Of leaf surface
made, rather than by tho amount of
wood. Also, advising the application
of manure at the ends of the roots, and
not close to the trees.
Mr.. Busby-ln setting out his or
chard, had planted common fruit, dig
ging large holes for the trees, and fill
ing with good loam-aftcrwards top
grated 10 secure the varieties desired
was in the habit of pruning as early
as possible. Breaks up the ground
every fifth year, plants in corn, follow
ing by wheat and clover. Apples'were
knotty in wet seasons, Allowing pigs
tn run in the orchard was beneficial.
Mr.. Borchers-Wished further in
formation about the effects of clover
believed it not injurious to young or
chards, especially those planted, as was
frequently the case, on old, worn soils,
where clovor, plowed under, would be
a great improvement by its enriching
qualities.
Mr.. Wiseman-Referred to an Or
chard of his acquaintance on Walnut
creek, favored in remarkable degree,
by location and soil, the latter being q
rich walnut and wild cherry soil, and
the location slope to the north and
towards tho creek, with forest oppo-
slto. For many years this orchard was
remarkable for productiveness and ex-
cellence Of fruit. A single tree of the
Roxbury Russet had produced fifty
five bushels of apples in one season.
This orchard bore almost every year
till forty years old. He believed its
final deterioration to have been caused
by exhaustion of the soil, without ar.
tiicial cnriching. Inters that the thing
for successful orchard is a naturally
rich soil, and to be kept rich by timely
manuring. u l,.e. .sl .ff j