The record-union., 1896-04-11
HORTICULTURlSTS' MEETING.
Matters Of Interest TO Fruit Growers
Discussed.
Reports of the Condition Of Orchards
in Various Parts Of the
State.

A meeting of the State Horticultural
Society was held in the Supreme court
room in the State Capitol yesterday. All
meetings of the society had been held
heretofore in San Francisco, but a
change was recently made In the con-
stitution and bylaws of the society
calling for one monthly meeting 10 De
held in Sacramento on the second FIJI
day in each month, besides the usual
regular monthly meeting at san Fran
cisco. Yesterdays was the first OF the
Sacramento meetings.
President B. M. Lelong of San Fran
cisco was on the ground early, and long
before the meeting was called TO order
was busy talking about scale Destroy
ers, bug eradicators and the latest sue
cess in sprays. He is an enthusiast on
horticulture, and is thoroughly ac-
quainted with his hobby
Mr.. Wickson, Secretary of the So
ciety, not having arrived when the meet
ing was called, P j. Shields was named
Secretary pro tenn.
President Lelong stated that a move
ment was now on foot to create free
fruit market on the water front at San
FRANCISCO anu IQdI d IlSttlIlS VI tuooC
interested would be called to meet in
San Francisco on the 10th of the present
month to consider the advisability of
such a course Everyone interested in
fruit-growing would be welcomed.
B. F. Walton of Yuba County stated
that much more damage had been
caused my the late frost than was at
first believed Peaches, apricots and
hn
frost had cut line about ten feet from
the ground, above which the fruit was
in good condition and promised well.
George F. Dittzler of Biggs, Butte
County, reported the apricot crop in that
section as being total failure. Peaches
of the late variety would not be over
half a crop, while early peaches prom
ised a heavy crop. The frost seemed to
strike line ten feet above the ground,
below which the fruit was practically
all killed.
Edwin F. Smith reported that advices
from his ranch near Lodi informed him
that there would be heavy crop of ap-
ricots, but that the almond crop in
places would not he heavy. One orchard
containing 800 acres promised we'll two
weeks ago, and it was estimated that
the crop would reach 1900 tons, but the
late frosts had done considerable dam
age, and a half crop was all that was
now expected.
J. W. Anderson of Davisville reported
that almonds would not be more than
one-fourth of a crop. The frost had
reached line from six to eight feet
high, above which the fruit promised
well. The pear crop promised well. but
the prunes were badly damaged. Sew
eral varieties of grapes had been hurt
by the frost.
= Ernest Cannon reported from the
Sacramento River district that many
trees had touch of scab. and that curl
leaf was also appearing in places. The
frost at Grand Island had killed the
piums and done some damage to the
peach, apricot and tragedy plum crops.
The output of cherries would be light,
and peaches variable. The pear crop,
however, promised better than ever be-
fore
Mrs Elizabeth Shields reported from the
American River Valley that the prune
crop promised to be light in young
orchards, and that in some of the plum
orchards the promise was not fiatter-
ing. She did not attribute the pros
pective light crops to frosts, but to the
north wind which prevailed some time
ago. Peaches promised a heavy crop.
Ex-senator Routier of the American
River district reported that while there
had been no frost reported from his
section, he thought there had been
frost and that it had done some damage
to fruit.
President Lelong stated that a big
crop of small fruits was promised in
the Alameda Valley. The peach and
apricot crop promised to be small, while
English walnuts had been almost en-
tirely destroyed by the frost. Apricots
in the Haywards district would be a.
short crop.
The President had secured some in
teresting specimens of tree mites which
he passed among the members for in
spection. Among the specimens were
the pear leaf blister mite-phytoptus
pyri-with a photograph showing the
mite greatly magnifed.
A general talk on the subject of
spraying was INDUCED in, and the most
dangerous of moths and mites were dis
cussed, and the best-known methods of
destroying them expatiated upon.
In the matter of ants, President Le-
long stated that the ant was not an in
sect destroyer, but that 1t followed in
sects for the purpose of securing their
excrement commonly called honey
dew" The rosin solution was sure
preventive for ants.
At y o'clock a recess was taken until
] o'clock, at which time 1t was deter
mined to discuss:
FirSt-Frost preventiyes.
Standardization of walnuts.
Third-Establsh and mainte-
nance of a free fruit market in San
Francisco.
Fourth-Arrangemen for future
meetings.
FROST PREvENTIvES.
President Lelong called upon Frank
Buck to tell the society what he knew
about frost preventives.
Mr. Buck is a fruit grower Of Vaca-
VILE. and has had much experience, but
stated that his personal knowledge of
frost preventives was slight. Some
years ago the idea of smudges as pre-
ventive had been tabooed, but lately
It had again been tried. and with salts
ARCnVT1TI