ALTHOUGH the past year has been rather a bad one for fruit growers in New York, they do not seem to be at all discouraged. About 200 of them met in Rochester in January at the 35th annual meeting of the Western New York Horticultural Society, and discussed important questions relating to horticulture.

Dr. Linter, State Entomologist, in a paper on "Late Experiences with Insects Injurious to the Orchard and Garden,'* said that a force pump is a necessity to every horticulturist who wishes to do anything against insects. As a rule, too strong solutions of the arsenites have been used. Use no more than is necessary to kill the insect and never stronger than one pound of the ar-senite to 200 gallons of water. Late sprayings should be more dilute, for matured foliage is more liable to injury, probably, than young foliage. Great difference in the amount that different trees will endure has been noticed. One pound to 300 gallons water is strong enough for the peach, and one pound to 250 or 300 for the plum. White arsenic cannot be used with safety. For the rose slug and many leaf hoppers, throw a strong stream of water against the foliage once a day. The Bordeaux mixture is very important in fighting fungi. Many times fungicides and insecticides may be applied at the same time, thus saving labor. Carbolized plaster will probably prove very valuable in attacking the rose bug. A new pear insect belonging to the "case bearers " was described. It bores in the fruit making it appear as though a twig had been thrust in.

If it appears in large numbers, spray with an arsenite soon after the setting of the young fruit. For cherry tree slugs spray with one ounce hellebore to two gallons water. Be very careful in use of either Paris-green or London-purple, and be sure they are fresh.

On *' Embellishment of Public Grounds" Wm. McMillan, Superintendent of the Buffalo Parks, said that embellishment includes all necessary work. Select a suitable plan, but do not hold too obstinately to it in case of petty details. All features should be in harmony with each other. Make everything permanent so far as possible, because such is the cheapest in the end. Do not have too much costly ornamentation. Nature is temperate in display of colors and it is much better to have everything neat and plain than showy and broken. The carpet-bedding system is not at all artistic or refined. Use more of the native flowers, shrubs and trees.

Professor L. H. Bailey, in a paper on "The Winter End of Horticulture " spoke especially of winter gardening. There are not the great difficulties attending forcing plants, as many suppose, and winter gardening should fill up the circle of horticultural operations. Great progress has been made in the forcing of plants. We construct the houses better and understand the demands of the particular plants better. The old-fashioned roof was too far away from the plant; we now take the plant to the light; not the light to the plant. We must have the plants near the glass. The ideal form of forcing house is one which is long, narrow and low. Steam heat is better than the old hot-water system, but there is probably less difference between steam and the new hot-water system. The ideal system is a combination of both these, so that we can have either one as we want it. This can be very easily arranged with nearly all modern systems, either of hot water or steam, There are six essentials to successful forcing of plants : bottom heat, abundance of light, proximity of plants to glass, fresh air, humidity of atmosphere and adaptation of methods to changed habits of the plants.

The "Clematis Disease" said Professor J. H. Com-stock, is caused by a small worm called a nematode, that also attacks a great variety of plants, among them potatoes, tomatoes and others. The fungus discovered by Professor Arthur is not the cause of the disease, although it generally appears with it. No certain remedy is known yet. Summer fallowing and the use of "catch" plants may do good. In a greenhouse, change the soil and wash the benches with lye.

Mr. Doyle on "Evaporation of Fruits," said the apple crop of New York last year was so poor that most of the apples for evaporating came from Michigan. There is a great demand in France for evaporated fruits. Mr. Doyle said analyses showed that there was no danger in the use of zinc drying pans, but in order to secure the German trade something else must be used, probably some kind of heavy netting. Wood is good, but is very liable to burn. The cores, etc., are used by the jelly manufacturers.

Some of the varieties of fruits, new and old, particularly recommended are the following :

Apples

Hubbardston Nonsuch, Sutton's Beauty, Milding, Longfield. It was the general opinion that too many Baldwins have been planted.

Pears

Vermont Beauty.

Plums

French Damson, Field, Stanton, Prince of Wales, Middlebury, Czar - a very early sort - Diamond, Peter's Yellow Gage. The last is said to be the best yellow plum.

Cherries

The best sour cherries appear to be Montmorency and English Morello.

Peaches

Two new early peaches are regarded as great acquisitions. They are Hine's Surprise and Horton Rivers.

Grape

The Geneva was favorably mentioned.

Currants

Fay and Moore's Ruby are excellent. The latter has superior flavor.

Blackberry

Early Barnard is regarded as one of the very hardiest and best.

Apricot

The Harris, a new apricot, is being successfully grown in some parts of Western New York.

As to which was the more profitable, the dwarf or standard pears, the majority seemed to prefer the dwarfs. The Worden grape is not likely to supersede the Concord. Fay's Prolific currant seemed to have given satisfaction except in regard to size. Professor Bailey said that the pear scab is caused by a fungus and recommended the use of ½ ounce hyposulphite of soda to 10 gallons water as a spray. $4,293.70 was reported as already raised on the permanent fund of the society. Mr. George Ellwanger gave the society $1,000, the proceeds of which are to be devoted to prizes. The following officers were elected : President, Patrick Barry, Rochester; Vice-Presidents, S. D. Willard, Geneva; W. C. Barry, Rochester ; W. B. Smith, Syracuse; and J. S. Woodward, Lockport; Secretary and Treasurer, John Hall, Rochester. H. N. R.