Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-02-03

0r1Ro0 al DIS QuoStlOu. 1Ao n"A sov- ~ffre
,rees frozen and cracked open, and which
closed up aesia without injury to the tree.
But he had . case still more directly In
point. He had vines growing under the
condition named by Mr.. Meehsn, the foliage
81 which dropped and wilted until be thawed
ont the trunk of the vine and protected 1t
from again freezing, when the foliage under
the glass was restored to its natural vig0r:
With such an experience you need not tell
him that the vine will not freeze.
Mr.. Satterthwaite wanted to know 1t Mr.
Meehan's theory was correct, why all wri-
tiers on the subject advise sgsinst pruning |
when the vines are frozen. Surely the |
smaller twigs do freeze, aud If the degree OF
cold was intense enough, he had no doubt |
the trunk would freeze also. Some plants
are more easily killed than Others. Thus
tomato will be killed by slight frost, while |
a cabbage alongside Of 1t will survive seve-
raj severe freezings. -,
Mr.. Meehan said that dead wood Will
freeze, but that live, healthy wood Will not
freeze under any circumstances. All large
trees have more or less dead wood, and the
water In the cells of this freezes and bursts
the trunks, as In the case of the apple tress
cited BY Mr.. Purple.
Mr. Purple still insisted that all trees freeze
ia winter. He had cut beech In winter when
the first few strokes Of the axe would make
the frozen chips fly. and wnen frozen 1t was
harder to cut. Did any one doubt that the
trees in Greenland all freeze? Winter wheat
freezes, roots, stalks and leaves, and yet its
vitality is not injured. The freezing of the
trunks of fruit trees Is sometimes beneficial.
Thus '.hide-boun cherry trees freeze and
burst and give room for expansion at the
bound part. Where frost does not give re-
lief we must do 1t by Sitting the bark. He
regarded frost as essential to.vegetation as
light and heat.
Mr. Satterthwaite, In support of his views
called attention to the fact that serpents and
all cold blooded animals freeze even to 30
lidlty without destroying their vitality. He
admitted that intense cold might kill some
trees. Certain varieties of hardy evergreens
will stand harder freezing than others.
Mr. Saunders said that recent inveStiga
lions had demonstrated that no animal could
be thoroughly frozen and survive. Modern
science had completely exploded the old
notion on this subject.
Bir. Purple asserted that he had broken
hard frozen worms and isnects, and the
pieces when subjected to warmth had shown
signs of life; that they even "kicked about.
Mr.. Miller, of Germantown, did not be-
leve that the pieces of worm which had
been frozen would .kick about" and show
signs of life. Thorough freezing would be
death. No matter how intense the cold
may be, cut off the limb of u maple tree,
and it will ''bleed." If the frost had stop
ped the circulation 1t would die. We know
that the moment the buds are frozen their
vitality is destroyed. Hence, the import
ance Of having the young wood well ripen-
ed n the fall, that they may endure the
winter.
Mr.. Harrison, in confirmation of the doc
trine that trees radiate heat, called attention
to the fact that icicles detach themselves
from the buds and twigs of trees before the
surrounding temperature rises above the
freezing point.
Mr.. Purple having stated the fact that ma
pie sugar could not be made until after the
sap in the tree had thawed, as illustrating
his position
| Prof. Heiges stated that the saccharing
matter OF the sugar maple was not the or
binary sap, but the fruit of the tree, other
| wise sugar could be made at any time DUR
ing the flow Of the sap, which is not the
case.
The discussion of this subject, of which
we have given very brief synopsis, occupied
nearly the entire session. At the close, the
Committee ON Wines, Fruits and new fruits
made their report. Among the latter seve-
raj new Seeding laspberries, grown by Mr.,
Is. +. Herstein, of Philadelphia, wers favor
ably mentioned in the report and endorsed
by several Philadelphia gentlemen who had
seen them growing ON Mr.. Hersteini
grounds: They were cross between the
Philadelphia" and the "Allen, and it il
and hardness of the former with the size ant
fins flavor OF the latter. Casper Hitler, il
view Of past experience with new raspber
ries, thought this society should be caution
about endorsing new varieties until they ha,
been thoroughly tested in different localities
in which he was sustained by DIR. Saunders
Mr.. Herstein was called upon, who state,
that he had brought The specimens Of thes
raspberries here at the request of friend
who had seen them on his grounds that h
did not ask nor expect the endorsement q
the Society; that he had no plants for sala
and had mo ak 10 grind" in the matter b
was having the plants tested in various lc
| calites, and should they hold out to his es
, pectations, as he now had no doubt,
wonld then, and only then, let them 60 OF
Of his hands with the trade. He had grow
thousands of Seeding raspberres, and thes
= he had selected as combining most of th
desirable qualities.
' The general opinion was, that these ne
! fruits promised to be great acquisition, an
! the thanks of the Society were unanimousl
/ voted to Mr.. Herstein.
e The next subject, was the growing of n,
tive grapes under glass. Mr.. Saunders hs
/ been successful in growing the Diana, Ion
' Herbemont, and some other southern vari
|, ties under glass, to perfection which cOu
4 not be obtained without the protection
glass. The flavor of the Iona grown In th
! way was superior to the Black Hambur
/: The protection given was simply gla
If roof, The tour sides being open to allow
q free circulation of air. The glass sfford'
i protection from mildew, &c.
d Mr.. Harrison thought the plactice Of gro,
J., ing native grapes under glass should be di
/. countenanced Let the idea obtain tn
e native grapes can ae successfully grown ON
n in this way, and the efforts to overcome Il
will he thereby discouraged. His observ
o ton of the experiment of growing und
r: glass led him to quite different conclusi
D. from that reached by Mr.. Saunders.
r. The Chair called attention to some Mt
l. varieties Of Southern apples, which prOmis
well, and might be worthy of more attenti
Z from our cultivat0rs.
Mr.. Saunders stated that during rece
visit to the South he was deeply impress
N with the superior quality Of a number
! ~ their seedlings. In North Carolina alone
Il, had noticed over fifty varieties. all of th,
- very fine, and worthy of attention from G
=, growers.
y The Society then adjourned until, sew
N o'clock In the evening
he vENINa SESSION.
IL The first business in the evening was I
m reading of paper by S. l.. Raihvon,
It's Lancaster, on the insects injurious TO {
he the Grape. Mr.. r. named some thirty
a. these insects, prepared specimens of VIII
re he exhibited to the audience. AT the C,
It, .clusion of the reading of the essay, il W
ed ON motion, resolved that 1t be published W
ne the proceedings OF this meeting.
ed Mr.. Stauffer offered the following reso
I'D ton, which, after being discussed by Mess
en- Harris, Meehan, Stauffer, Hopes, Saundt
up Harvey andi0thers, was unanimously ado
lit. ed:
nd Resolved, That it is the opinion of
Of Society that an chronological departm
ne should be created for the State, and we,
The members of this Society, respectfully ask
by Legislature OF. Pennsylvania to establish 81
md q department, and appoint a gentlen
aid qualified for the discharge of the duties
are such department, and to make suitable I
He vision therefore, and to enact such law
to may cary into execution the objects sou
ear for by this Legislation, and SUCH as VIC
~InnA taf f,f