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tion of the land by grading and ditching, so as to secure the proper control of it; also describing the special advantages of cultivating the cranberry, and other fruits adapted to the same localities, together. These points he promised to embody in an article for our volume.

Mr. Peffer said he had cultivated cranberries since 1853; found that they grew readily from cuttings, even on clay soil; had found difficulty in the frost heaving the ground, and covering the vines with muck where he scalped the marsh.

CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.-The committee on Centennial Exhibition reported, as the result of their conference with the commission, that they had regarded our request for an appropriation of not less than $500, favorably, and it would be granted, in case the bill pending in the legislature passed, and they advised to go to work earnestly to prepare for the exhibition.

Remarks from a large number followed, showing a warm interest in, and a desire to see the work well done and our State fully represented in the approaching International and Centennial Exhibition.

On motion, the previous committee were continued, and the whole matter referred to them for the prosecution of the work. The society adjourned till Thursday, 9 a. m.

THURSDAY, 9 A. M.

The society met at the usual hour, when Mr. J. C. Plumb, gave his report for the second fruit-district, which was followed by the report for the twelfth district, by J. M. Smith. Both reports were very interesting and contained many valuable statistics and items.

FRUIT IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN.-At the close of his report, Mr. Smith spoke of some of the difficulties they had to encounter in their northern location in fruit-raising. Currents do well there, and will continue to thrive even though neglected and abused; grapes were a very sure crop, if properly cared for; had not known but one failure in eleven years; certain varieties of apples can be cultivated with success, others cannot; much seems to depend on the kind of location and soil, as well as care; many trees that had borne well for years had lately been killed or severely injured; he

spoke of a number of instances where pear orchards had done well; one in particular had paid for itself many times in the fruit it had yielded. This orchard stood without any protection at all, in a very exposed situation, on the side of a ravine facing the north or northwest, with the sides so steep as to require terracing; the soil was poor, but the trees were well set and attended to up to the time when they came into beariug. Since that time the property has changed hands, and they have taken care of themselves, but have done well, yielding well and looking thrifty. The variety most used is Flemish Beauty.

The next paper read was entitled "The Observations of a Novice," by Mr. A. L. Hatch of Ithaca.

HYBRIDIZING.-Some of the suggestions in this paper on hybridize the common apple and the Siberian called out Mr. Peffer, who said that by using the pollen from the crab, the fruit resulting would be nearly all crab; he had a Golden Russet seedling fertilized by the Red Siberian, and the apples, while in form and outside appearance resembling the Russet, are no larger than the Red Siberian, and are nearly as crabby in flavor. The improvement should always be sought, by selectiug the hardiest and best growing variety for the female, for we want vigor and strength of constitution, and for the male, the best variety we can find for the object we have in view, whether it is quality, earliness or lateness. This principle should be followed whether it is fruits, flowers, or any breed of stock that we desire. If Siberians are used for the female, there will be a great improvement in them, and these hybrids can be used as the female again and again to secure size, flavor or other desired qualities. By selecting the best on both sides in this way, he had faith to believe that we shall yet secure varieties, that will prove hardy in the greater portion of the State, and yield abundance of fruit.

Mr. R. J. Harney, of Oshkosh, read a paper on "Grape-Culture," giving much valuable practical experience on the subject, and which led to an interesting discussion.

GRAPE CULTURE.-Mr. Greenman thought the first requisite of success in the cultivation of the grape was to secure strong and healthy vines; if when first set they had but little vigor, few fiberous roots and a feeble growth of top, it would be years, if ever, before

they would secure the necessary strength to be productive. This was the case with many of the vines that are now sold. Vines should have an abundance of fibrous roots and the buds on the canes should be strong and well developed when first set.

Mr. Floyd said that they were very successful in growing grapes in his section, but the birds were very troublesome; they had lost nearly all their Delawares for the last five years in this way. The trouble had become so great that some had dug up their vines. The bird that does the most mischief is a small, brown bird, very shy, but it is impossible to frighten it off with the gun, and their number is so great that it would be useless to try to kill them.

General Lund said that he had found the birds very troublesome; they would commence on the grapes as soon as they began to turn, and, if left alone, would destroy the whole crop. He found, too, that they had very good taste; would take the best every time, and would keep at them until they were gone, before molesting others; he was willing the birds should have some, but as he raised fruit for family use and wanted it, and the birds wanted it too, the only way he could secure his part was to protect it. This he did by covering the portion of the vine where the clusters hung with mosquito netting, by fastening it to the trellis above and pinning together below, bending the leaves down over the fruit. The expense might be too great when the vineyard was very large, but if the netting was taken care of, it would last for a number of years; another benefit derived from this plan is, the fruit ripens sooner and better when covered by the leaves and protected from the direct rays of the sun. He had been very much pleased with the paper just read and agreed with it in the main; but did not think a southern slope the best aspect for a vineyard. His experience and observation had proved that a northern slope was much preferable. The direct rays of the sun, and the hot, dry winds striking directly upon the vine causes the leaves and tender shoots to wither and curl, and thus retards the maturing of the wood and the fruit; he should select a northern slope for all kinds of fruit; there will be sufficient heat for the growth and maturity of both fruit and wood, and much less risk of injury from drought and mildew. When we have showers in hot, sultry weather, vines are apt to mildew, unless there is a free circulation of cool air through them to dry up the moisture; and a northern aspect is much more favorable for

these cool breezes; again on the southern slope, a portion of the day, the vines are exposed to the extreme heat of a tropical climate; this followed by our cool nights makes great changes in temperature, which are not favorable to strong and healthy growth. Some suppose that the grape is a tropical plant and requires a very warm location to grow to perfection, but this is a mistake; in the past season, although it was exceptionally cool, the fruit on all his vines except the Catawba, had ripened perfectly; other seasons he had usually ripened the Catawba on his grounds, where the slope was so much to the north that the sun did not shine directly on the vines until afternoon.

He believed in keeping the vines back in the spring as long as possible; many uncovered the vines early, under the mistaken idea that it was necessary to lengthen the season to secure ripe fruit, but keeping back in the spring does not retard growth; it tends to ripen the fruit earlier, because it keeps back the forces of the plant until all the conditions are favorable for growth, and then it pushes forward with increased vigor and strength; had measured the development of vines thus treated, and found that in thirty-six hours they had grown six inches; when uncovered early there is much danger of injury from frosts, and if the fruit-buds are not killed, the tender shoots are chilled and their growth checked, so that it takes some time to recover. He had often advised those who had uncovered early to re-cover and keep back as long as possible. His practice had been to keep the covering on until the second or third week in May. By examining the vines it can readily be determined when they should be uncovered; if the buds have commenced to swell and cannot be kept back any longer, then uncover and tie up to the trellises at once. Do not fear making the season too short by thus keeping back, as the vines are gathering force, and will push on to maturity with greater rapidity. In speaking of the pleasantness of the work of training and raising the grape, he remarked that he had always regarded it as a fitting and healthful employment for women, and alluded with much feeling to the great interest his departed wife had taken in caring for their vines the past season, and to the successful manner in which she had done the needed work.

He had learned by experience that much of the success in cultivating the grape depended upon getting strong, vigorous vines at

the start. He had found it much better to throw away, even high priced vines, where wanting in vigor and strength, than to set them out, for much time and care would have to be expended to secure the needed vitality. Strong canes are far more productive than weak ones; one good, vigorous cane is worth more than a dozen small ones and the easiest and cheapest way to secure them is to start with good strong vines, with an abundance of fiberous roots, (1)

and by care in pruning, concentrate their growth. He had found the solar hot-bed* invented by Mr. Greenman, very beneficial in securing good vines from cuttings; by its use he had grown yearling vines with more

roots and stronger canes than are usually offered in market on two and three year old vines; he had gathered fruit the third season

from cuttings in the open air in any other way.

The first year, he let the vines grow unpruned, but on setting out the second season, he confined the growth to one

cane and

*SOLAR HOT-BED.-In the construction of these hot-beds, use strips of inch boards, four inches in width, setting them on the edge, and support by boarding up the ends; make the spaces covered with glass, eight or ten inches in width; five or six inches will be sufficient for the spaces where the cuttings are to be set. The glass may be fitted into narrow sash, and be laid over the wide spaces, or thin strips of lath may be tacked on the sides of the spaces to be covered with glass, just below the upper edge, and the panes be placed on these, either lapping or fitting close, end to end. For economy of space and material, it is better to regulate the width of the frame so as to have the outside spaces both covered with glass. Set two rows of cuttings in each open space, slanting them so that the lower end will be under the glass and the upper end just above the surface of the ground in the open spaces; be sure that the earth is in close contract with the lower end of the cuttings or they will fail to root. Fill in the open spaces with sawdust to the depth of three inches, covering the upper ends of the cutting. When they are well rooted and growth is well established, the frame may be removed, and the spaces covered with glass filled with straw, as shown in figure 2.