Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-11-22
FRUIT-GROWERs.
FURTHER PROCEEDINGS OF THE CON-
vEETIoN NOW IN SESSION.
Papers and Discussions Upon Fruit-Rais-
-Varieties-Insect Pests and REM
edies-suggestions Presented.

| Fruit-Growers Convention in session at San Fran
cisco. the discussion upon the report Of A P Hatch,
of the Committee Fruit Statistics and Ways and
Means, resulted in the appointment of the follow
ing committee to carry out the suggestions in the
report: Benjamin Bates, of Sacramento W. N.
GLADDEN. and A. Codwell, of Sonoma Drs Chaplin
| rim Joseph Sexton and E. II. PIERCE of Santa Bar
| baIa /; W. II. Aiken, of Santa Cruz Dr. Kimbal
and James Shinn, of Alameda; Leonard Coates, c.
| W. Ihissel II. W. Fraser and A. T. Hatch of So
| lano /; Milton Thomas, A. Cownel and Samuel Nc
Kinley, of Los Angeles J. H. Thomas, OF Visalia
| James W. Violet, of Amador; DR.. Strentzsl and
Nathaniel Jones, Of Contra Costa NJ. Denieke and
| Gustave Esten, of Fresno W. B. West OF San Joa-
| quin II. J. Lewellyn, of Napa G. NJ. Grey Of
| Butte; j. Goodwin, OF Tuolumne; DR.. DAHL Of
| MERGED ; J. NJ. Hickson, of San Francisco Felix
| Gillet, OF Nevada City.
| James Shinn read paper on apples, in which he
said that good apples can be grown in every county
IN this State, and in fact being successfully
| and profitably grown by many fruit growers Ample
4 orchards should be kept clean, mellow and nothing
| else should be growa therein. | should like said
the speaker, to repeat that last three times Laugh.
teri The question OF what variety should be grown
| is an important one The necessity Of growing only
| the best has been made apparent to any one who
| has studied the city market. The planter must
resolutely limit the number of varieties he plants
Whatever excuses the early planters had for plant
ing unsuitable Varieties cannot be pleaded now,
the planter can always now have the best varieties
to select from, and only those should be planted.
| The planter must bear in mind the question of
whether the purchaser viii ever learn that the color
and size OF the apple does determine its quality
is one that the very far distance will alone deter
mine.
A. P. Hatch contended that it was a false idea of
| economy that prompted the planting of shrubs or
| plants in apple orchard at any time, even when
| the trees were first set out
| Professor Hilgard said that planters who could
not let the soil between the young and unbearng
/ nth chr tlru "A
bushes and fell into the habit of doing after the
| trees were in bearing, and poor fruit the
| suit.
Mr. Aiken believed in rich soil for apples in plant.
| ing nothing between the rows, and blowing in the
| grass for manure in the spring.
G. M. Gray had met with great success in planting
one of pumpkin vines between each two rows OF
apple trees. The vine kept the ground from baking
and retained moisture.
Mr. Smith also advocated planting small fruit be-
tween the rows itgave the planter profit while
the trees were growing, and the plants absorb
nothing from the soil necessary TO the fruit trees.
Other speakers advocated small fruit planting in
the orchards, and Mr., Johnston reminded the Con-
! vention that this diversity of opinion n Jesuit
of the remarkable diversity of our soils
W. q. Klee gardener of the State University, ex.
planned that the result of the experiments made at
that institution with lime a destroyer of the
woolly aphis, the great enemy of the apple, was of
no value, the quality OF the lime used was infe
rior, and what good lime would do was still un-
known ct the University.
Matthew Cooke stated that fresh good lime was
excellent cure for the woolly aphis pest
James Shinn said that il the woolly aphis could be
reached it could be destroyed, but the trouble was
to get at it. If 10-year-od apple tree had the
wooly aphis implanted on its roots, the tree might
well be cut down, no cure could be applied to
reach it II healthy young trees, perfectly free from
the woolly aphis, planted, and the ground
moderately sprinkled with lime or ashes the aphis
will give that tree the " go by
DIR. Hardness delivered lecture on the fungoid
diseases OF fruit trees, illustrated with enlarged
drawings OF diseased leaves.
The lecturer incidentally mentioned the interest
ing fact that while in Paris eminent scientist
like himself fungi expert insisted that the trufe
must exist in California AS this desirable fungus
is worth four dollars per pound even In Paris the
lecturer urged his hearers to keep vgiant outlook
for it. especially when digging in new ground. His
description and illustration of the fungus that is
now beginning to appear the leaf and fruit of the
apricot was the means of informing several OF his
hearers Of the true cause of the blight that this
year attacked their apricot orchards. In several
orchards of the State the apricots only fit for
drying and in two or three, several hundred boxes
Of the fruit had been utterly ruined. The fungus
attacked the fruit, appearing IN bean shaped spot
on the surface which extended quite into the stone
rotting and destroying the fruit The speaker rec
commended IS one remedy that the trees be planted
sufficiently far apart 50 that the leaves of adjoining
trees shall not touch.
J. E. Cutter OF Riverside, read paper raisin
culture. He said that no raisin maker could hope
to profit from dwarfed vines, and every attention
should be given to growth in the early years OF the
vineyard At later period the vine tends to the
production of fruit and not to wood, hence it needs
less nitrogen and more potash. The use OF the for
among vines appears to cause them TO cast their
bloom and produce mildew He related the story
Of raisn maker who trebied the production OF his
VINEYARD by applying wood ashes to the roots Of his
vines The variety the Muscat, which at River
side is the best for raisin making. The speaker
pruned SO as to form very low vine, the principal
head not averaging more than six inches from the
ground, with some branches reaching above. The
strongest and best canes always grow lowest on the
head. Another advantage was that the grapes re.
ceive more heat from the ground at night wien low
down, but if irrigation practiced the grower
would have to head up little b.yneF II was the
speakers opinion that sur.mer pruning was per.
nicous practice, it rejoicing the vgor Of the vine
ana qu&htltY ol ! uit, Water should not be used
when the we Is In bloom, but may be literally put
on aiteI the fruit is set. The writer had obtained
re oest results ny irrigating twice, on July 9TH
and August 2lst. The vineyard should be irrigated
after the crop has been picked. Irrigation should
be timely, heavy, but not frequent, which the
speaker considered good rule. He believed the
Muse It of Alexandria to be the best raisn grape in
the world.
The paper was discussed by Professor Higard
and Messrs. Johnston, Block, Chandler, HusSman
and Cooke
The next subject presented was by Senator L. W.
Buck, of Solano, who read paper peach culture.
The peach, he said hourshes best in deep, sandy
soil but will do well heavier land if it is well
drained Too much water in the soil causes the sap
In the roots to sour ana TOu. 10 grow peaches
three things are necessary Thorough cultivation,
pruning and thinning. 1t is not only necessary to
keep the orchard free from weeds, but the soil
| should be plowed and cultivated after the rains
have ceased until it il thoroughly loosened and pull
yerlzed There is no fruit that will show neglect in
| this respect as much the peach. In some coast
counties it may be better to have the sun penetrate
to the inside Of the tree, while In warm, dry eli
mates shade is necessary. To produce shade the
tree should be cut back heavily each year. In
planting yearingswe cut them down 10 about twenty
inches above the ground, then allow only few Of
the top buds to grow. At the end OF the first year
leave three or four branches from four to six inches
long, cutting off everything else. The next year
leave about twelve OF fifteen inches OF the new
growth. You will then have good stocky, healthy
three-year-old tree, ready to commence bear
| ing. Now cut the top Rack again the next year
in the same way, leaving about the same length
of new wood, and cut back each succeeding
year as the tree grows older. Trees should not
be allowed to bear too young Four years is
soon enough There is no danger Of pruning
peach tree too much. Cut of ninetenths Of all the
new wood and then you will have to thin the
peaches out In pruning bearing trees leave from
four to eight inches Of new wood, taking care to
leave this the largest and bealthiest growth as
the heaviest canes produce the finest fruit. In this
State all kinds of peaches bear too heavy, and 1t IS
only by severe pruning and thinning that peach
tree can be made vigorous, and to bear crop every
year II Is easy to raise fac peaches on young trees
for two Or three year,, but after that look out
have never seen peach tree injured by pruni'
when dormant The lighter the soil the heavier the
| pruning should be. But no matter how heavy you
have pruned you will still have to thin the peaches
out after they are set. This should be done when
the fruit is as large bazelnut or as soon as you
are able to tell which the best. The thinning
should be done by hand and before the pit hardens
as it does little good after that. 1t is impossible to
give any rule for thinning. leave from 300 TO COO
peaches a tree and nearer than four inches
apart, according to age and quality Of soil This
will make from four to ten boxes OF fine peaches,
| crop that may be depended On every year unless
killed by frost, provided the trees are treated as
recommended 1t will cost ten cents to thin trees
from six to ten years old tree thus treated will
| produce more fruit than one allowed TO have its
| own way, and the peaches will bring the highest
prices.
The views expressed by Mr.. Buck W ere generally
concurree in by speakers who followed. The writer
vas requested to append to his paper a list of va
rieties Of peaches suitable for canning and drying
| and when completed it was ordered that the
paper be printed. Mr.. Buck stated that he eonsid-
cred the Early Crawford Of the best varieties for
| the locality Of Vacaville, where he resided.
paper prepared by Felix Gulet, Of Nevada City,
on the Goblin moth, next read by the Secretary.
The writer said this moth could be exterminated in
Isolated orchards but il had been found almost i'm
possible TO prevent its spread in fruit localities The
moth dreaded wet summer. wet, damp and