The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-07
STATE FRUIT GROWERS
ANNUAL SESSION OF THE HORTI-
CULTURAL SOCIETY.
Cause of Failure of Apple Crop
Soil at Purdue Experi-
ment Station.

The thirty-eighth annual meeting Of the
Indiana Horticultural Society began a three
days session at the Statehouse yesterday
fifty members being present. The meeting
was opened by President c. NJ Hobbs, of
Bridgeport, who said in part:
There has been great deal of theoriZing
as to the cause Of so widespread and COM
plete failure of the apple crop. The prob
abilities are that it was due to a combina
ton Of causes, the two most important Of
which were the prolonged, hot, dry weather
of the previous summer, and the COOL damp,
unfavorable weather during the blooming
period. which prevented perfect pollenation.
The conditions seemed to be unusually favor
able for good peach crop, so that the for
tunate possessors of peach trees enjoyed the
luxury Of eating this luscious fruit fresh
from the trees, and this is the only way
we can get this line of fruit at its best. In
some localities the curl leaf damaged the
crop to quite an extent. Thorough early
spraying with the Bordeaux mixture has
been found to control this disease. The
peach and plum rot has been very prevalent
the last season; early peaches seemed to be
more susceptible to this fungus than later
varieties. Thinning the fruit, destroying all
mummitied fruits that may carry over the
spraying with the Bordeaux mixture have
proved helpful in controlling this disease.
Our experiment station at Lafayette is
unfortunately very unfavorably located for
horticultural experiments, especially with
the tree fruits. The soil is the loose, black.
sandy loan situated on the edge of the
bleak prairie and quite unlike soil and sit
uations in the greater part of the State.
In travelling over the State we are impressed
with the lack of attention given by most
farmers to the orchards, fruit gardens and
house adornment. These are very important
adJuncts to good farming, enjoyable and
healthful living, and somehow country peo-
pie need to be made more conscious OF these
facts With depleted soils, climate of
greater extremes and hordes of insects and
fungus diseases that Were unknown to our
fathers, the old methods of planting and
letting nature do the rest will no longer
avail to secure fruits for our families"
Sylvester Johnson'S report as secretary
and treasurer showed total receipts, incud-
ing last years balance, to be $2,66l.7S. The
expenditures were $l,0972, leaving balance
OF $l,56454 on hand. Reports from George
f. Newton and Joseph A Burton, vice presi-
dents, in charge Of the northern and south
ern sections of the State, showed sub
stantially the same condition of crops as
the president indicated.
NJ. II. Ridgeway, of Wabash, read paper
on How to Grow Fine Strawberries"
Among other things he said: There are
few things essential to the growing of first
GLASS UeTIleS. "A sui l0dL Will retain LlOlS-
ture and is rich in all the elements of plant
ana fruit growth; thorough preparation and
cultivation of the SOIL restriction in the
number of plants grown; selection of va
rites that are OF strong, vigorous, healthy
growth. that will average a fair crop above
medium size; mulching, not only for the
purpose of keeping the berries clean, but
to assist in keeping the soil about the roots
of the plants cool and moist until the berries
have ripened; favorable climatic conditions
as to sunshine, moisture and exemption
from untimely frosts Most of these con-
ditionS can be controlled or supplied by the
grower. Location is of less Importance than
a satisfactory condition of the SOIL
1.-The Fruit Grower as His Own Commits
sion Man" was the subject of paper by D.
f.. MaiSh, of Frankfort, who held to the
opinion that the commission men were doing
all they could to keep prices up and dispose
of large conSignmentS, but that the only
remedy the growers had for the present
unsatisfactory returns was to work the
home market more thoroughly and cooper
ate in the establishment of commission
where little or none of the Indiana products
were being raised. AS an illustration he
referred to the fact that last summer the
growers at Niles Mich, allowed the people
to pick all they wished free of cost. as the
market was glutted and the prices were next
to nothing, while in western New York the
crop was complete failure, and berries
could have found a profitable market.
AT the meeting last night short addresses
were made by Mrs. II. M. Dunlap, of Savoy,
Ill, and Prof. ]. I4azendy. OF Ohio, on
Household Economics" The society then
lap of Illinois and L. Y. Teas of Irvington
as a committee on awards at the fruit ex-
hIbition which will be held on the closing
day of the meeting.