The San Francisco call., 1896-08-26
Scientific Dissertations Upon
Topics Affecting Fruit
Growers.
HOW TO GET BEST RETURNS.
Improvements of the Home and Ad.
vancement for Each Little
II inlet.

SAN DIEGO, CAL, Aug. 25.-The State
Farmers Institute opened at Ell Cajon this
morning with large attendance. Pro-
lessor A. ]. Cook of Pomona College,
Claremont; Professor e. ]. Wickson of
the University of California, Berkeley;
G. II. Sessions, president of the Southern
California Dairymen's Association, and
Professor W. r. Shaw of Stanford Uni
versity were present.
The address of welcome was delivered
by W, H. Somers of Ell Cajon. Professor
E. J. Wickson of Berkeley responded and
expressed great pleasure at the kind re-
ception accorded the visitors and at the
opportunity given to see the valley IA
nous for its raisins. He believed all
farmers should strive to attend the insti-
tute. 1t was the purpose of the university
TO lead toward higher education in hor-
ticultural lines. The university did every
thing possible to educate the people, and
its work had been rapid under Professor
Cooks efforts. The regents wished the
farmers to present their views, and he
came inquiring what it (the university
could do for the interests of the State.
G. M. Hawley of Ell Cajon gave con-
else paper on "Deciduous Fruits" In
the present depressed condition of the
fruit markets, he said, none but fancy
goods paid. The question how to raise
such fruit he answered by saying, "Irri-
cation, cultivation and proper thinning"
For the best results from irrigation and
fertilization, he declared, thorough culti-
vation must follow. Analysis showed
that the pits of the peach and apricot con-
tanned several times the amount of fertil-
izer found in like amount of flesh, and by
reducing the number and increasing the
size of the peaches we saved much of the
| nitrogen and phosperic acid that would
otherwise be wasted, and at the same time
secured choice fruit that Jar outsold the
smaller sizes and that was much more
easily and cheaply packed. The vitality
of the tree was also less injured by grow
ing fewer and better fruits. Experiment
had shown that an overloaded tree would
produce small fruit, make little wood
growth and develop but few fruit buds for
next years work, while one properly
cared for would produce a vigorous
growth that matured large fruit and de-
veloped good bud growth for the next
| crop.
Mr.. Hawley was followed by Professor
Wickson on Pruning Deciduous Fruits"
he Sdlu Tile Olu meluOu was 10 pTuno III
winter, but short days and wet weather
made this expensive. The new method
called for earlier work, as they would fin
ish by November Is. The question, SIS
early pruning dangerous" was answered
thus: If summer irrigated and in vigor-
ous growth, go slow, but If leaves have
turned it is safe. Give young trees all
season to grow, but prune bearing trees
early. Many prune short for two or three
years and then allow limbs to become
pendant. One grower gets better fruit by
having but few lin bs and allowing them
to grow long, but practice should be gov
erned by local conditions"
Mr.. Hawley said he thinned Fosters
from one-half to three quarters as soon as
formed Mr.. Dondore thought he obtained
better fruit by cutting out the center
branches.
Professor Cook believed horticultural
clubs very good. and Harvey Culbertson
was appointed chairman of a mittee
to organize the Ell Cajon Club.
The question-box was one of the in
teresting features of the afternoon. Eco
nomic Feeding" was assigned to G. H. A.
Goodwin of Los Angeles. but in his abb
sence the paper was read by c. ii. Sessions,
who then followed with his own paper,
"Dairying," which was very interesting.
He has dehorned his herd of about 200
COWS and finds the results very satisfactory.
he duVlSeS ueuOIllHS Tic COWS WI ury
10 avoid possible danger of feverish milk.
He feeds mixed rations of alfalfa, barley,
bran, corn, beets, etc.
AT $3.50 the ladies had the floor, and Mrs.
w. H. Somers offered resolution that the
equal suffrage amendment to the consti-
tuition of California be voted upon. The
vote was very satisfactory to the ladies.
The evening session was opened by Ell
Ca Jon band, which discoursed sweet music.
Professor WicksoD gave very interesting
talk on "Semi-tropical Contributions to
Civilizations" and was followed by M. L.
Ward of Chula Vista on "Village Improve
ment Societies" Mr. Ward made an
earnest plea for the beautfying of the
home and the creation of such homes that
the children who had grown up in them
would long for them when carried else
where by the cares and duties of life.