The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-05-04
LETTER FROM DENISON.
Interesting Session Of the Nortn Texas
Pathological society at DenisOn
A Profitable Interchange
OF Ideas



Ths North Texas Pomolgical society held
its regular monthly meeting to-day. This
society, which organized a year ago, has won
membership of about forty, who represent
probably two.thirds of the marketable fruit
ia ,irayson county. AT the meeting to-day
there were present something over twenty
members, owning an average of two thous-
and fruit trees each. The object of
the association is that by comparing
results of their various experiments in guam
tity, quality, variety, culture and treatment
OF the various kinds of fruits, each mem
Der may have the benefit of the experience
Of all, and meeting of these veteran fruit
growers is matter of great interest.
Al the meeting to-day Mr., A. II. Shirley,
who has over hundred acres of orchard
and is raising seventy-Ave different varieties
of apples stated rs the result of many years
experience and observation that there was
difference Of from two to four years
in the time ofbearng in apple'trees grated
from young or old stock. He warned all the
members not to buy stock grated from
young trees In peaches here is no appre-
Ciabe difference Mr. Shirley stated that
his prospects for an apple c;op were very
good although until within the last five days
the apples had been dropping badly. He
believed, however, they were now past dang
er. lie stated that tho prospects for pear
crop were not tlattering, Bartlett pears
were nearly oil killed. Duchess and few
other varieties were ordinarily full.
Mr. &. Akin read an essay on grapes and
grape culture, he having experimental with
agreat number of varieties, He recommends
Tor this climate and market, first, the lona
second, the Dracut Amber, and third, the
Ives. lie is in favor of the Fuller system of
training and pruning and advises that vine
yards DO located.on eastern slopes to get the
benefit of the morning sun in drying the
frutand plants to prevent rotting. He al
vises vigorous stirring of the soil,
but not to mar the root of the plant, and not
30 early in the spring MS to force its growth,
he illustrated his remarks with several
samples of grapes Of the different varieties.
Mr.. Il. Perry, who probably has a larger
number of peach trees than any other man
IN the county, being called upon for n state
ment of the prospects Tor u crop, stated that
everything seemed to be transposed this
year. Trees bloomed out of their usual order,
and some varieties were shedding their fruit
without any apparent cause, while Others
were holding out under the most trying cir
cumstances. :. For instance, tho early Bernard
was in full bloom during the storm and freeze
of March 1Ath, and is now fullest of fruit of
any variety in his orchard, while the Chinese
Cling, which bloomel later, have almost en-
tirely dropped off. AS a rule the varieties
that produced best last year have least fruit
this year, and all are from two to three weeks
later. His peaches were very little effected
by the curculio, as he had given the trees
two or three thorough iumigations
with coal tar lie exhibited
some very fine samples of strawberries of
the Wilson, the Cresoent,the Charles Down
ing and the Captain Jack varieties. His
favorite is the Wilson.
Mr.. Il. V. Munson gave the result of fifteen
varieties of strawberries, tested side by side
and under the same treatment, last year. He
gives the preference for beariag and standing
drouth to the Minor Prolific and Sharpess,
followed by the Captain Jack, the Wilson
and the Charles Downing.
The berries raised here are mostly the
Wilson, of which Mr.. L. Perry has
nve acres, and the Charles Downing, of
which Messrs. Tone & Bush have six acres
in cultivation. Both of these parties are now
shipping largely.
The society have decided during the pres
ent shipping season to have an Inspector who
will inspect and classify all fruit before ship
ping. Every box will have the growers
name and the society's inspection brand
plainly marked, and they expect to build up
a reputation for frst-class fruit which viii
create market tor it whenever it may
DO shipped. The crop of peaches
alone to be marketed from this
point is estimated at 10000 boxes. The prin-
cipal market heretofore has been Kansas
City, but this year shipments will be made to
Chicago and st. Louis.
Besides peaches, there will be large guam
titles of plums, berries and grapes sent from
this place. The shipment Of vegetables has
already begun and will continue through the
season of radishes, onions, lettuce and iona
toes. Denison is the centre of fruit region
about ten miles square. which is destined TO
WELD au important influence upon the a.
nances Of Grayson county. j.