Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-01-27
TTIE Dbl. AVA RIB TTsIBUNE. wILMINaTorS. DEL

make list of all fruit on exhibition to be
embodied in the Annual Report of the
Society and another to examine and re-
port on oil unknown and unnamed fruits.
The society then resumed the informal
discussion of the General Fruit Committees
report, the pear culture forming the princi-
pal topic.
NNTr. Satterthwaite said that the cultivation
of the dwarf pear as dwarfs was failure ;
that in short time the dwarf got pear roots
and grew as large as the standard, and their
being planted short distance apart, they
became too thick on the ground.
"a Mr.. Hopes agreed with Mr.. Satterthwaite,
his dwarisin a short time became standards.
MIR. Parry, of Cinnamensing, N. j., did
not doubt but dwarfs, if let alone would be-
come standards, but by proper cultivation
and root pruning, they conld be kept dwarfs.
He was not prepared to say that dwarfs
were humbugs, persons having small farms
should raise dwarfs they bore fruit sooner
than the Standard, and even ifthey remained
dwarfs for limited time they were decided
advantage.
DR.. Gilbert, Of Harrisburg, had been sue
cessiul in raising dwarfs, he agreed with the
position Mr.. Parry had taken.
Mr.. Reed, of Lebanon, stated that Mr..
Martin, one OF the largest fruit growers of
Lancaster county, had no difficulty in rails
ing dwarls. Mr.. Saitcrthwait said that in
two or three years with them they began to
throw out pear roots and became standards,
would like to know how to prevent it.
Mr.. Stautfer of Harrisburg said 1t required
much root pruning. too much soil is general
ly kept around the roots.
Mr.. Harrison thought 1t would not do to
| abandon the raising of dwarfs. They re-
qured little ground and soon bore fruit.
Mr.. Ioopns said that in California the
raising of dwarfs was very successful but
had no doubt that the influence of the eli
mite had much to do with that success.
Mr.. Meehan could not understand the OBJ
| lection TO dwarfs, even if they did throw out
pear roots, they hut seldom grew much
larger, he thought it an advantage to grow
| pear roots.
Mr.. Satterthwaitc, said if Mr. Meehan
would pay HIM visit he would convince
| him Of his error, he had dwarfs or years
old that could not be told from standards.
Mr.. Gilbert thought Mr.. Saterthwaite's
ground was too rich, his experience was ex-
| actly the reverse.
| The business committee being ready to
| report, the informal discussion here closed.
A series of quesiioas were proposed, the
| first of which was as follows:-
What is the cause of the failure of the
grape in Eastern Pennsylvania
Nr.Sharp, of Cumberland, was successful
| in raising grapes; he had a sandy mountain
soil, and had some that grew eighteen feet
the past season. He thinks the cause is in
| the soil.
Mr.. Grossier, of Franklin, has been in the
business about four years we are too
anxious for biz crop, and grow too much
wood; am projected by mountain my
vineyard is in valley with rotten stone
| soil all fruits grow well there had thous
| and bushels of grapes the present year. The
cause of the failure is in the climate.
Mr.. Harvey, of Chester, said some failed
to raise crop on account of mechanical
arrangements grapes of loose foliage do
better the ground should he drained. Ours
nearly all failed, and thought it was on ac-
| count of amospherical Influences causing
tunaous diseases
Mr.. Sharp said grapes will not do well in
wet soil; they are there more liable TO mil
dew and fungi
Casper Hillcr-Tbey do best on elevated
land, and require IL pure atmosphere, soil
can be prepared to suit the grape, hut the
atmosphere cannot he. changed.
Mr.. Merceron, of Mercer county, thought
the failure attributable to atmospherical in
ilnencc, in low wet grounds they are subject
to mildew.
Mr.. Bombaugh, of Dauphin, said the best
grapes he ever knew grew along side of u
mill pond where the roots were continually
covered with water.
Mr.. CARRIER, OF Lancaster, concurrcd with
Mr.. Bombaugh, his grapes which grew on
high ground are more troubled with mi;,ew
than those tina, grow along side Of the wa
| Ter.
Daniel Eugle, of Lancaster, had also seen
good grapes grow well along side of water
with the roots submerged, but the water was
fresh and pure, they will not grow in stay
nant water, dry high ground was the best.
| Mr.. Miller, OF Germantown, thou hit much
/ Of the failure was attributable to too much
wood, we were afraid to use the pruning
knife.
Air. Weidler, OF Lancaster was represented
as being very successful grape-growcr. lie
planted his in trenches four feet wide, and
four feet ticcp, with u layer Of broken stone
in the bottom Of the trench, fourteen inches
deep, his grape crop never failed, planted
some without the preparation Of stone, they
done no good, much Of the fault was in The
soil
MIR. Mitchell, OF Philadelphia offered tile
following resolution, which was unanimous.
ly adopted
RcSoipct That many DC the failures Of
the grape culture after being a few years
planted, are due, first, TO improper location,
aided by ipiulici0us pruning secondly, by
planting varieties Of feeble vitality which
are ipiuriouslys affected by almospherical
changes.
QUESTION md. -What is the hest known
mode OF graduating the culculiu?
Dr. Suescrott never attempted to find The
insect, collected all the injured fruit and de
stroyed it, which process prevented tile
larvae from entering the ground. Since pur-
suing this plan he had perfect fruit.
Mr. Stauilcr agreed with DR.. s., but woult
hasten the destruction by jarring the tree.
and causing the injured fruit to fall In an
swer to a question by Mr. Sa,terthwaitc, liz
said he did not know of any parasite tina
fed upon the larvae of the curculio
Mr. Hopes said the only way to destroy
the curculo was by Earring and catching tn,
fruit and insects in sheets and burning them
Mr. Saticrthwaite thought the process
slow one; not one of thousand, in hi
nGiGhborhood, would be destroyed by tn,
proposed method he thought they were di
minishing in numbers and their day woul,
soon pass away. He attributed the dcclin
OF the curculio to laws iorbidding the killing
Of birds.
Mr., Sharp had raised very large crop o
fruit by Earring the trees, and agreed wit
Mr.. S, that the curculio was decreasing.
The society adjourned to meet at 7 ococ
in the evening.