Professor Troop: I don't mean to say they are harmless entirely, but I mean to say we ought not to jump at conclusions, because somebody who does not know what he is talking about advises in the papers that they are going to ruin everything they come in contact with. The damage has been slight, when you take the whole State into account, and from what we might have expected from the reports that were sent out, there has been but little damage. Considerable injury has been done, but I think few trees have been damaged beyond repair.

A Member: I would like to ask the professor the proper name of the seventeen-year locust.

Professor Troop: Cicada.

H. W. Henry: There was only one kind of locust in Laporte County, and it had a "W" on both wings. I would like to know what that meant. Professor Troop: It meant it was a seventeen-year locust.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 9 O'CLOCK A. M.

President Stevens: The secretary wishes to make some announce

ments.

Secretary Flick: Those who have not enrolled, please do not forget to do so this morning, and we will be pleased to have you all join the Society. The membership fee is fifty cents to members of local societies, one dollar to others.

President Stevens: We will now resume the work of the program, and first we will have the general subject of "The Apple from the Nursery to the Consumer," under the different sub-topics, the first of which is "Location and Exposure; Soils." Mr. Hobbs, of Bridgeport, will introduce the subject.

THE APPLE BEST LOCATION, EXPOSURE AND SOIL.

BY C. M. HOBBS, BRIDGEPORT.

It is important that the commercial orchard be located near a good market, or in an apple-growing section with good shipping facilities. Experience has shown us that where large quantities of fruits are grown, better transportation and better rates are secured. Buyers visit such localities, competition is secured, and the best prices obtained. In the large fruit-growing districts, co-operation may obtain to advantage in selling, grading, packing, shipping and in cold storage.

In our State the matter of exposure is not a very important one. When the exposure is very steep, the southern will be the warmer, and the tree will start earlier in the spring, fruit ripens earlier, and is more highly colored.

Any of the clay soils of our State that are sufficiently fertile, holding sufficient moisture, but not in excess, will grow, profitably, many varieties of apples, provided other conditions of success be observed. Light, dry, sandy, gravelly or black soils are not desirable for apples; in fact, for any of the fruits.

I am inclined to the opinion that the yellow and red clay soils of Indiana are unexcelled in the production of certain varieties of apples, notably Winesap, Rome Beauty and Grimes Golden. I have frequently seen representative collections of apples from all parts of the United States, and have never seen these varieties from Indiana excelled.

That Southern Indiana Winesaps took the world's premium at Paris is evidence of this fact The statement was recently made that Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas were the finest apple-growing sections in the world, and one of the principal reasons for this was that the soils are rich in iron. We have these conditions in the red clay soils of Indiana.

With clay soils containing ample but not excessive moisture, plenty of readily available fertility, planting of the right varieties, thorough cultivation and care, I believe we can grow apples here in Indiana to as great perfection as they are grown anywhere in the world.

President Stevens: We will next hear Mr. Campbell.

CHOICE OF SOIL, LOCATION AND EXPOSURE FOR THE COMMERCIAL APPLE ORCHARD.

BY GEO. P. CAMPBELL, BLOOMINGTON.

I can't hope to say anything on this old subject that will be new to any member of the Indiana Horticultural Society, but it may be the means of bringing out a discussion that will be of more benefit than anything I may say on the subject.

I have had occasion to ride over considerable of my own county this summer, and I have noticed a good many orchards, some on low ground and some on the hilltop. Some were thrifty and doing well; others were sickly and stunted, and it seemed that the location or soil had very little to do with it. I asked some questions in regard to the different orchards. Some would say in regard to the sickly ones that they had got poor trees from the nursery and the nurseryman and the agent would generally

get a blessing. Others said the children had left the gate unfastened, and the cows had got in and done the pruning, which was not usually a very satisfactory job. There was always some excuse for the trees not showing up better.

In regard to the other fellow who had the thrifty orchard, he would tell of the care he had taken in putting out his trees, how he had cultivated and fertilized them, and he always seemed proud of his orchard.

After being assigned this subject, I began to study the question more than I ever had before, and I asked myself the question, Is there not as much in the man as in soil and location, after all? If he loves his trees and the work connected with making them thrive, he will make a success if the soil and location are not the best. I will say, however, that I am not much of a believer in the idea advanced by some that any poor hillside will grow good apples.

There are very few farmers who have an ideal place for an extensive commercial apple orchard. I would select a north and east slope of elevated land, naturally well drained, if possible. The soil should be sufficiently fertile to grow good wheat or corn. The red clay limestone soil that we have throughout the southern part of the State seems best adapted to the growing of fine apples. It gives better color and flavor than sandy or the black, loamy soils.

I will give my reasons for selecting a north and east slope. The soil is usually stronger and more porous, holding moisture better. The sun does not have the effect of thawing the sap on the southwest side of the trees during a cold snap in winter, sometimes causing the bark to burst, which is sure to ruin the tree. The trees remain dormant longer in the spring so that the fruit buds are not so liable to be killed by the late frosts. I have often noticed that the forest trees on the north slope were larger and more thrifty than those on the south. The finest walnut, poplar and oak are to be found on the north hillside. Trees that stand fair to Old Sol's rays are more liable to be hollow and have dead and damaged limbs, while the same kind of a tree on the other side of the hill will be solid and thrifty.

It is well to study nature, and where you find nature doing the best for trees, there is a good place to plant the apple orchard. There are not very many that can have just such soil and location as that I have described, and some may think I would not have them plant an orchard, but such is not the case. I think any one who loves trees and good apples will have them, for if nature has not provided a suitable location, he will use artificial means. He may have to drain the soil and study its composition to find out if it is lacking in any of the elements that the tree needs to make well-flavored and highly colored apples.

I have noticed that once in a long while there will be a good apple crop on low bottom lands and none on the hill land. A few years ago there was as fine apples grown on some of the lowlands of Monroe County as I ever saw, while they were practically a failure on the higher soils. I have a friend who owns two farms, one on what is known as Salt Creek bottom, the other is about four miles from any watercourse and on elevated land. Last year he had a good crop of apples on the elevated land and none on the bottom farm; this year it is just the reverse.

It may be that I have not stuck as close to my subject as the ones who gave it to me expected or wished, but I hope the subject will be thoroughly discussed at this meeting, for I believe there is no State that can grow finer apples than Southern Indiana.

LOCATION AND EXPOSURE FOR THE COMMERCIAL APPLE ORCHARD, AND CHOICE OF SOILS.

BY RILEY C. CASE, LAGRANGE.

Much depends upon location and exposure of the commercial apple orchard. Elevation is preferred, that the trees may have plenty of drainage and the fruit not be injured by frost, the latter often occurring on lower ground. For summer apples, a southern slope is preferred; for winter, a slightly northern slope is best.

In our section of the State, orchards located around or near the lakes bear most fruit, and the fruit has the best color. I know of an orchard located on the north side of a small lake that bears fruit annually. And your vice-president has told me he has taken a number of premiums from our State Society with the apples gathered from around this lake. And while I do not think our small lakes that freeze over during the winter time have the same effect that larger ones do that do not freeze, they certainly must affect the atmosphere, giving apples color and preventing frost.

In localities exposed to the sweep of winter winds, belts of evergreens or deciduous trees will be found of great service. In all instances where the side of an orchard is exposed to prevailing winds, it is less successful and productive than the opposite side. Proof is afforded that shelter would be beneficial; belts, especially if of deciduous trees, standing too near fruit trees, have, however, rather injured than benefited them. The orchard should be beyond the reach of their shade and roots and be well exposed to sun and air.

The soil for apple orchards should be of good quality. Whatever will produce a vigorous growth of corn, wheat and potatoes will, in gen

eral, be the best for fruit trees. doubly so for the latter, for while it only lessens the growth of farm crops, it lessens the quanity and greatly injures the quality of fruit. Land that grows the sugar maple is counted good orchard land. As a general rule, soil which is dry, firm, mellow and fertile, is well suited to this purpose. It should be deep to allow the extension of the roots; dry, or else well drained to prevent injury from stagnant water below the surface; firm and not spongy, to preclude injury or destruction from frost.

Sterile soil is unfavorable for both,

Few soils exist in our section of the State which could not be much benefited for orchards by enriching. The shallow soils should be loosened deeply. A quick method of deepening soils for the free admission of the fine fibrous roots is first to loosen it as deeply as practicable with the subsoil plow, then with a trench plow. While there is no doubt that the clay soils which have such a combination of sand and gravel as will admit of easy cultivation is our best, yet we have orchard lands in our county a sandy, gravelly soil that is underlined with iron mineral, upon which we find some of our best orchards.

DISCUSSION.

John Tilson: Mr. Hobbs talked of the red clay. I want to know what's the matter with white clay. We have no red clay in our section. He don't seem to think white clay is good for orchards.

C. M. Hobbs: I would class along with red clay, the white and yellow, There is a white clay, that soil that extends across this State from Illinois that is very well adapted to apple growing, both in this State and Illinois, but as a rule I think you will notice from our State Fair exhibits that the larger and finer varieties are found in these red clay regions. It is a fact, well proved by experience, that where there is proper proportion of iron in the soil, that fruits and flowers are more highly colored, and, as I stated in this paper, I was reading an article from an apple grower who claimed that where iron existed there were the finest apple-growing sections in the world. I know they grow very handsome apples, but I see no reason why those conditions don't prevail in Southern and Central Indiana.

President Stevens: What kind of clay have they in the center apple region of Illinois?

W. C. Reed: It is mostly hardpan soil. It is white clay, underlaid with hardpan.

Mrs. Stevens: I would like to know when the soil is lacking in iron, can it be supplied?