The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-10-15
Richmond Horticultural Associa-
fiOn.

time. After enjoying An hours social con-
versation on the various topics of the day
| H,rtcul ure coming in for liberal share
the baskets were brought forth, and the large
table well filed with the good things from
the field and the garden.
Dinner announced. The tasting commit
tee VAS very soon at its pleasant duty; that
duty was we'll performed, and, in about one
hour was able to report favorably on quality
and quantity.
The hour for other duties of the Associa-
ton had arrived. President in the chair.
The Association was called to order. Minutes
of last Meeting read and approved.
The following report by J. G. Ratliff from
the Committee on Orchards and Small Fruit,
was read and ordered to be placed on record
with the Minutes:
To conclude my report on Small
Fruits, l will now submit few re-
marks on the Grape crop, the con
dition OF the Fruit, DC, and wind
up my duties for the season with
9 me observations on orchards.
Perhaps the oldest inhabitant
has no recollection of having
seen such a season as this has been
for the Grape; the crop has in
deed been enormous; the fruit
fully developed and Of the bes;
and finest quality. Wherever q
vine had attained the age of three
or four years, and had not been
totally neglected, it's owner has
been rewarded to on extent that
partially compensated him tor
past failures.
] As to what varieties have sue
ceeded best, l cannot say, from the
fact that all seemed 10 have done
equally well. The rot, the mil
dew, and the leaf blight. those
scourges that have so often ruined
the crop, have this year given us
the go by. The Isabella, Cataw :
ba and Delaware, have fully re-
gained their lost reputation, and
think in future growers in planting
only a small number, will give
each of these place in their vine
yards.
! ORCHARDS.
For the past ten years. perhaps
with the exception Of the year
1869, Orchards in this locality
have not in my opinion, paid fol
the ground they occupy. various
have been the theories assigned
for the repeated failures, but as
yet none that have proved entirely
satisfactory. Our most learned
Pomologists attribute it to climat-
ic influences-ther result Of chang
es produce over the face of the
country, by cutting away the large
and extensive forests, that once
broke the face OF the winds and
modified the temperature. Add
to this the depredations and rava-
ges Of insects and think we have
q rational solution Of the problem.
But Just how soon Nature will
restore the equilibrium which has
been distributed by mans innova
tons. and make our trees groan
under their burden Of fruit as in
years gone by. the writer has nc
means o: knowing; yet i am sat
isfied that the time will come.
There is a question connected
with Orchards that / think W.
would do well to consider; I e., do
trees bear better when grated ia
the stock than they do when they
are grated in the root2 I am so
well satisfied of the advantage OF
the former method, that I would
pay considerably more for such
trees than l would for root-grafted
ones. Suppose we make some OBJ
servations, and see if such is no
the fact.
There is another matter. or rath
er plan. that think we would be
ben efited by adopting, that is to
make our orchards hog pasture
Hogs not only eat the apples thai
are infested with worms or insects
but their rubbing against the trees
is considered by many fruit grow
ers to be as beneficial as q wasi
with soapsuds or with an alcali
The very presence Of hog, seems
to be beneficial to an apple tree
whether his nose is ornamented
with ring or not. The pres en-
season has been one of unu ual sc
verify on Orchards planted las
spring or fall. Many trees hav,
persisted, and many others stuntec
SO as TO be of little value. Tai.
added to the failure of the crop
MAX es this year rather a discour
aging one, but ! believe there is .
better time coming.
On motion the following candidates wer
proposed tor membership and decla ed dull
elected:
Jennie Ratlif, Sarah s. Thistlethwai ate
Sarah N. Starr, Timothy Thistleihw ate, an,