Smyrna times., 1897-01-20


three days in Milford, commencing ON
the 9th inst.
President Van Deman delivered hi,
annual address, which covered a variety
OF topics and treated them in a verv
practical way. He said that hortisul-
lists were all plain workers in the line
OF honorable toll. We should seek to
avail ourselves of art, science, expert
ment and use. Only through expert
ments could proper conclusions he
reached. Horticulturists were honest
honorable and high-mined people. The
few selfish ones were imposters and
did not properly belong to the family
BE proud Of your calling and company.
Go into the unexplored realms of
knowledge and lead others; give your
knowledge to others
The President said there was an an
parent lack of local horticultural socie-
ties. In some states there were many
county and other horticultural socie-
ties. In Ohio as many as 300 persons
belonged to a society where there was
only fraction of the investment in
fruit that there is in Delaware.
The year 1896 was one of disaster to
the fruit and vegetable grower of this
peninsula. Crops were good but the
net profits were almost nothing
Peaches were dying from yellows and
other diseases. What should succeed
them?
Marketing was very important. To
achieve a profit, the grower must pro-
duce good article and pack it well.
transportation companies had things
practically their own way here and
charged all the traffic would bear.
Small reductions in freights had been
secured, but the contest for greater
ones was not hopeless.
Farmers complain of commission
merchants, yet the latter had their
grievances and complaints. One was
that much fruit was shipped that should
be fed to the hogs, often trash would
not pay expenses of shipment, or if it
ala so, was neither profitable to pro-
ducer or handler and pulled down the
price of better articles. During the
past year the consumer was not able to
pay much. Perhaps the better condi-
tlons In sight and promise would prove
to the advantage of all 1t was we'll to
remember that good article was al
ways in demand
Secretary Webb suggested question
box, and on motion one was instituted.
The question asked was 'What are
the merits Of the Columbian Rasp-
berry?" Mr.. Slaymaker answered
that 1t was a strong growing plant; in
Delaware the berry was not very good
and in poor demand in the market, be-
cause of its color. Mr.. Bancroft and
others said it had no value on the
peninsula. Prof. Powell said it was
good berry in New York, but like the
New York apple, not at home in Della
ware.
"What new varieties of early pears of
recent introduction were worthy of
culture?" Prof. Heiges said that the
Lawson or Comet was chiefly RESPONSE
bic for the introduction of the San
Jose Scale on the Peninsula. This
pear was very handsome, but its flavor
was not first-class. The Manning, an
old pear, was good.
Mr.. Harris objected to the Lawson
as the slOwest in growth he ever saw.
Charles Wright said the tree grew
slowly, but he had obtained good crops
in three years on tOp-grafted dwarfs.
The fruit was of fair quality and large
as Bartlett.
Captain Emory found the Lawson a
rapid grower and dense enough when
properly trimmed. The Manning was
good.
Prof. Heiges said that Jacob Moore's
Early Sugar was early, excellent, sweet
as a Seckle and of fine aroma.
President Van Deman said that the
Koonce was promising in the West;
was early and handsome.
''Is it necessary to plant other pears
with the Keiffer as fertilizer?' was a
question much discussed, but one upon
which members could not agree.
Capt. Emory advised mixing trees,
but only such sorts as bloomed at the !
same time. The Leconte had been
condemned, and he had himself con-
demned it; but it was good one when |
fully ripe. 1t blights badly on rich |
land.
The President said that in New
Jersey he saw an orchard of Keiffers
that had been replanted with Lecontes
perhaps one in fifty of the latter
Near the Lecontes the Keiffers were
much fuller than elsewhere. New
Jersey growers believed in cross-pol-
lenization. II generally increased the
quantity and size of the fruit there.
Capt. Emory thought that top-graft-
ing was not practicable for growers of
large orchards. He had grown as high
as 81 baskets of Keiffers per tree with
out cross-pollenization.
Pref. Heiges was not satisfied that
Keiffers required cross-pollenizatiOn.
Judge Harris agreed. He had solid
blocks of one variety that bore uni
formly.
Mr.. Slaymaker knew of large or
chard that had borne for years only on
the outside rows. After the trees in
the centre had been top-grafted with
other varieties, all had borne uniform
ly.
Capt. Emory said that the outside
rows of nearly or quite all fruits bore
heavier than those on the inside.
Prof. Van Deman advised planting
Lecontes with Keiffers. The former
was fully as good as the latter, and he
would make sure when no injury could
be done.
'Has spraying lesSened fruit crops
by preventing the spread of pollen?"
s. H. Derby said no. Trees should
not be sprayed when in bloom. Trees
sprayed held their foliage later.