phan b aba nes SSSSS TSS yee aes sees sees eas sa aen eee ppauyieevsercreneyerereererrarer nero Roses Wierd Serene eres: aeoaeases Sen Reser eietitenres ne Son Shan smearaeee segahpucrspenresrarnteeeeeer: SSS Tes cece eeepc Serra rarer ntae, soerrss = BRATS LP LE LIT Lee TE, Roars Soames Des see see LESS OLLIE OP UG GOEL OG a an IPR Saha ESTE PEL he POLO rrr a LAAT Serta apa ae eee LE OO OL RE IL OCP LOI RL PLA LLP ATE OTP SOLE IT LLL EOL ICL LE TLE. cieerere ine: San erie Nee emai ne Smwaied bern PERL TIRL RRC Rieroh eeahaphe bere tee ERROR ee LED RE Dene See eee PEE E PRR een ee FY Eat nA Se borers EEE CETL LLL Seen RN ten Da ep a aa ap ny tas Se eg Rall gC apap peep gs res LAPT OS IPCI TE z CHES Ra via A OR A RA A OAR GO a ig OI COE OR LR LEC Leper er ee) ee ES CALC RT PILE AOCLOE OE CAL LACLLL LLL ILE, LEC OL LACE ELLER LLL COLL 2 erste EOC eeth iit al Bana AE kK ee wea Renee oe LLL OTT OLA AAT RL PLE CAL TALON OLE ory PAPE PET eaten ea OOD on nL I ILL ELE LETTE ETTORE En re HR EO nr Re LO bene nS bie rmeey reese dbew ETL LS ee OPP EPIL PIAL TIAL AL ACL wc SLOPE R LT ICL ELIA OOP T CPD LI Placa x inhergemcetale oe Cie eabletes PESTO YS RNLI TIVO MVY OIT ieee rsr mere nntrr re nmmeeweter i 2 OE LEE Cl i hoo Sein SRSA SNS! - 3 Vee aa Ba > 7 ) fa 7 i wl \ aD nee r a) 2 ; j ry ; j rf : 7 ie i _=_ : oS ae IND ye -_ = Or ive: emer: : Reese «0: /-. ns Le ee er a au SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT SG iy oe OP AL ea OF THE STATE = POMOLOGICAL OF SOCIETY. Ua CSIR Gr ve eS, Vee as ee (te. SF, y Ww 5. \ aa AND UAERIS PENINSULAN FEZ SENAM _CIRCUMSP ICE y XN BY AUTHORITY. LANSING: W. S. GEORGE & CO., STATE PRINTERS AND BINDERS, 1878, REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE MICHIGAN STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. LANSING, December 31, 187%. To Cuartes M. CrosweE.u, Governor of the State of Michigan: I have the honor to submit herewith, in compliance with legal requisition the accompanying Report for 1877, with supplementary papers. Respectfully yours, CHAS. W. GARFIELD, Secretary of the Michigan State Pomological Society. SOTAD TABLE OF CONTENTS, &! ——— OFFICERS OF THE STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 5 : 6 3 0 : MEMBERS OF THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, “4 _ 5 5 : OFFICERS OF THE STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, . : 5 : : PROCEEDINGS OF THE WINTER MEETING AT PONTIAC, . 6 : , : PROCEEDINGS OF THE JUNE MEETING AT SOUTH HAVEN, 5 . O THE AMERICAN GRAPE MILDEW, : : ¢ : : é : A : GROWING PEACHES FOR MARKET, . 3 5 5 6 é 5 C 5 THE CHEMISTRY OF FRUIT RIPENING, 3 : 4 : ; 6 i : VALUE OF THE T'RAINING GIVEN AT THE MICHIGAN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, TRANSPLANTATION FOR THE FARM, THE ORCHARD, AND THE GARDEN, . POMOLOGY AT THE STATE FAIR OF 1877, : : A : 6 g “ j PROCEEDINGS OF THE DECEMBER MEETING AT GRAND RAPIDS, ; : REPORTS OF LOCAL SOCIETIES, 6 c : : : 5 : ¢ d SECRETARY'S PORTFOLIO, . . : 6 6 C 3 : ORPFICERS OF MICHIGAN STATE POMOLOG- tei SOCIETY: “FOR. THE. YEAR 1878: PRESIDENT—T. T. LYON, South Haven. ee SECRETARY—CHAS, W. GARFIELD, Grand Rapids. TREASURER—S. M. PEARSALL, Grand Rapids. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. GEO. PARMELEE, Gd. Traverse,1 year. | HELI BIDELMAN, Coldwater, 2 years. E. H. REYNOLDS, Monroe, 1 year. W. K. GIBSON, Jackson, 3 years. N. CHILSON, Battle Creek, 2 years. EK. F. GUILD, East Saginaw, 3 years. STANDING. COMMITTEES. On FRuUIT CATALOGUE—T. T. LYON, South Haven, Chairman; GEO. PARMELEE, Old Mission, for Northern Lake Shore; A. O. WINCHESTER, St. Joseph, for Southern Lake Shore; H. DALE ADAMS, Galesburg, for Central Michigan; I. E. ILGENFRITZ, Monroe, for Eastern Michigan; B. W. STEERE, Adrian, for Southern Michigan. On Finance—N. CHILSON, E. F. GUILD, E. H. REYNOLDS. On METEOROLOGY—ROBERT F. KEDZIE, Lansing. On ENTOMOLOGY—ALBERT J. COOK, Lansing. VICE PRESIDENTS. J. E. ILGENFRITZ, Monroe Co. | ASC. TOWN, Barry Co: S. B. MANN, Lenawee Co. | M. B. WILLIAMS, Allegan Co. F. M. HOLLOWAY, Hillsdale Co. O. R. L. CROZIER, Ottawa Co. J. D. W. FISK, Branch Co. WM. ROWE, Kent Co. CHAS. W. SHELDON, St. Joseph Co. J. D. STANNARD, Tonia Co. B. G. BUELL, Cass Co. S. S. WALKER, Clinton Go. A. O. WINCHESTER, Berrien Co. J. P. BARNES, Shiawassee Co. A. G. GULLEY, Van Buren Co. N. A. BEECHER, Genesee Co. J. N. STEARNS, Kalamazoo Co, Mrs. R. N. HART, Lapeer Co. J. A. ROBINSON, Calhoun Co. WM. L. WEBBER, Saginaw Co. H. F. THOMAS, Jackson Co. JAMES SATTERLEE, Montcalm Co. J. AUSTIN SCOTT, Washtenaw Co. SULLIVAN ARMSTRONG, Newaygo J. C. HOLMES, Wayne Co. Co. J. E. DAY, Macomb Co. S. B. PECK, Muskegon Co. C. K. CARPENTER, Oakland Co. E. J. SHIRTS, Oceana Co. LEWIS SCOTT, Livingston Co. F. J. DOWLAND, Mason Co. A. W. ROWE, Ingham Co. S. W. FOWLER, Manistee Co. Mrs, R. M. COOK, Eaton Co, W. W. TRACY, Grand Traverse Co. MEMBERS OF THE STATE BOARD OF AGRI- CULTURE: PRESIDENT—Hon. HEZEKIAH G. WELLS, of Kalamazoo. VicE PRESIDENT—Hon. J. WEBSTER CHILDS, of Ypsilanti. Hon. GEORGE W. PHILLIPS, of Romeo. Hon. FRANKLIN WELLS, of Costantine. Hon. A. SMITH DYCKMAN, of South Haven. Hon. MILTON J. GARD, of Cassopolis. CHARLES M. CROSWELL, Governor Or THE Strate, | ; é - Ex Officio. THEOPHILUS C. ABBOT, PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE, ) SECRETARY—ROBERT G. BAIRD. TREASURER—EPHRAIM LONGYEAR, Lansing. OFFICERS OF THE MICHIGAN STATE AGRI- CULTURAL SOCIETY FOR 16/738. PRESIDENT—E. O. HUMPHREY, Kalamazoo. SECRETARY—J. P. THOMPSON, Detroit. TREASURER—A. J. DEAN, Adrian. ans EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. Terms Expire December 31st, 1873. Yerms Expire December 3lst, 1879. A. O. HYDE, Marshall, Calhoun Co. ABEL ANGEL, Bradley, Allegan Co. GEO. W. PHILLIPS, Romeo, Macom) Co. p, W, HOWARD, Pentwater, Oceana Co. JOSEPH M. STERLING, Monroe, Mon- H. O. HANFORD, Plymouth, Wayne Co. roe Co. TONY ai ‘ r P-; 7 « aN Cc. W. GREENE, Farmington, Oakland F. M. MANNING, Paw Paw, Van Buren Co. Co. : E. W. RISING, Davison Station, Genesee | A, F. WOOD, Mason, Ingham Co. Co. i F. V. SMITH, Coldwater, Branch Co, ee M. FERRY, Grand Haven, Ottawa | WM. Tee Ww EBBER. East Saginaw, Sagi- 50. | naw Co. D. A. BLODGETT, Hersey, Osceola Co. | H | J. Q. A. BURRINGTON, Vassar, Tus- G. S. WORMER, Detroit, Wayne Co. | ae ae a een HENRY FRALICK, Grand Rapids, Kent am ; ; Co. | D. T. DEWEY, Owosso, Shiawas ee Co, J. G. RAMSDELL, Traverse City, Grand | J. WEBSTER CHILDS, Ypsilanti, Wash- Traverse Co. | tenaw Co. EX-PRESIDENTS—HONORARY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, JAMES BAILEY, Birmingham, Oakland County. H. G. WELLS, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County. CHARLES DICKEY, Marshall, Calhoun County. G. C. MONRO, Jonesville, Hillsdale County. M. SHOEMAKER, Jackson, Jackson County. W. G. BECKWITH, Cassopolis, Cass County. W. J. BAXTER. Jonesville, Hillsdale County. GEORGE W. GRIGGS, Grand Rapids, Kent County. CHARLES KIPP, St. Johns, Clinton County. el pee e fack 4 ne at ly ‘ ole a) ore ¥e Wat 4] j i We as oe ap 6 oO ad ae Brug enue by. The ont ETO Oy, Oe eh viap Pity ine texb- 4 nave dh Da RR Oe a Peavy pant fipeiye, eet iN ERT ory ee ny ee ee) } ‘. ¥f eRe yey st! OP LAR W IES | Sih) het ee wg ate rd AUN tote PP a ee WD 2 ER!) ME Edn G,, HELD AT PONTIAC, PHEBRUARY) 6ra; 187 7. The winter meeting of the State Pomological Society opened in Clinton Hall, Pontiac, on Monday at 2 P. M. The show of apples was especially fine, nearly 400 plates being in place upon the shelves. The hall was filled up with shelving on the sides and in front of the stage. The show in flowers was some- what deficient, only a few primulas being on exhibition. Prof. W. J. Beal, of the Agricultural College, called the meeting to order, and the Secretary read the following letters: E. J. Shirtz wrote from Oceana county that there was a fine prospect for fruit, and at the State Fair for 1877 Oceana county would show peaches and plums that other sections would do more than well to excel. J. Austin Scott of Ann Arbor J. W. Humphrey of Plymouth, Prof. Holmes of Detroit, and Judge Ramsdell of Traverse, all regretted their inability to attend the meeting. The following is an extract from a letter written by 8S. B. Peck, of Muskegon: As to the city and township of Muskegon we can say very little that is encouraging on the subject of pomology. Our best fruit lands being on the bluffs of Lake Michigan are yet as the timber thieves left them long years ago, without cultivation or settlement, while the fruit trees which haye been planted on the more level lands in the settled parts were swept off by cold blasts of 1873-4, leaving only afew apples, the fruit of which is destroyed by the progeny of the codling moth, a few plums for the cureulio, and cherries for the birds. Were I some forty years less than seventy-two of age, I would make a mark upon this shore that would show up the capabilities of this region, but my age and infirmities warn me that I had better let the cremation of my one thousand fruit trees of the past season wind up my pomological career. I still feel an interest in pomology, in the prosperity of our society, am proud of our State and of its standing in the pomological world, and sincerely pray for its prosperity and success, but cannot promise to attend many more meetings unless near home. Truly yours, S. B. PEcK. M. B. Williams of Saugatuck, wrote as follows: “1 fear your Society will discover it has not selected the best man to repre- sent its interests in Allegan county. While I realize the advantages to Michi- gan fruit growers of having in our midst such a live association as the State Pomological Society, yet I have never been able to find myself quite so enthu- 2 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. siastic over this subject of fruit growing as many seem to be. Indeed I have sometimes thought it quite possible to give the business more puffing, and ‘ bugle- blowing’ than it would stand, and that facts even might be stated in such a way as to give the ‘uninitiated’ entirely too high an opinion of the beauties and profits, of the occupation, and perhaps any facts or statements which I would give might appear a little tame by the side of some rather more highly colored. pictures drawn by other pens. Would be glad to meet with the Society at Pontiac in February, but don’t think I shall be able to. Our fruit prospect in this locality thus faris good. Buds appear to be uninjured. Three degrees below zero is the coldest we haye had this winter, and that only for a short time. Haye had a great deal of snow, which commenced falling before the ground was frozen much, so the roots have been well protected. For several days ye it has been thawing considerably, with some rain, which has taken off much of the snow. It is hard telling what kind of weather we may have next, but if it continues favorable, and fruit buds remain uninjured until spring, there will be a great many trees set out in this vicinity, as the good yield of last year, and the remunerative prices obtained, especially for peaches, have set very many to thinking about setting out more of that, as well as of other kinds of fruit.”’ The following letter was also read from Little Prairie Ronde, Cass county: Charles W. Garfield, Secretary : DEAR Sir,—Your letter informing me of my appointment as Vice President is at hand. I accept the position and will endeayor to perform the duties to the best of my ability. Ishall not be able to attend the meeting in Pontiac, and send this in my place. We haye thus far had an unusual winter; steady, cold weather and deep snows all through the month of December, and, with one or two days excepted, the same for January. For the past six weeks the snow has averaged more than two feet in depth, although it has been constantly settling, the waste being made good with almost daily additions. The mercury has ranged from 10° above to 6° below zero, with no extremes. What the effect may be on our fruit trees can better be told after a few days warmer weather. Although our county borders on the great fruit county of the State, Van Buren, there are very few men in it that take much interest in the development of its fruit capabilities. The apple is about the only fruit tree that can be relied on for profitable cultivation generally throughout our county, and that was subjected to fearful ravages by the cold winters of the past few years. Our peach trees are gone, except a few sickly remnants on high points. The pear tr ees are fast following the peach; they flourish well for a few years, but soon alter commencing to bear, are killed by blight. All locations, and kinds of culture, and varieties, seem to fare alike. I do not know of a good, thrifty pear orchard in which the trees have generally stood well for ten years in our county ; still we have isolated cases where trees have flourished and borne good crops of fine fruit year after year for a score or more of years. I will not let this opportunity pass without saying a good word for the Early Richmond cherry. It proves a success with us, and is the only cherry among a dozen varieties worth propagating. With the best wishes for the success of our society, I remain, Yours truly, B. G. BUEL. W. W. Tracy, Old Mission, Grand Traverse county, wrote: WINTER MEETING, 1877. 3 *‘T am ashamed that I have not responded to your invitation with a paper, but time has slipped by without it. Were I in attendance at your meeting I should try to bring out a discussion on the subject of ‘Black heart in apple trees.’ Gray says in his Botany, page 154: ‘The living parts of the tree are only these: first, the rootlets at one extremity ; second, the buds and leaves of the season at the obher - ; and, third, a zone of the newest wood and the newest bark connecting the rootlets and the buds and leayes, however widely separated these may be,—in the largest trees from two to four hundred feet apart. And these parts of the tree are renewed every year. No wonder, therefore, that trees may live so long since they annually reproduce everything that is essential to their life and growth.’ Now a tree is doing well; we have a very hard winter which at first seems to have killed the tree, we let it stand and it throws out branches which grow vigorously under the good culture we give it. The next spring if we cut off the tree at the trunk we find a ‘zone of the newest wood and newest bark’ apparently perfectly healthy, but the inside of the tree black or rotten with dry rot, and our experienced nurserymen and orchardists tell us the tree is useless, it is black-hearted. If we let the tree stand we shall fina that the proportion- ate amount of the new live wood is increased, but that this black heart grows with the tree. Now it seems to me if Mr. Gray is right this black heart can be of no injury to the tree (except by depriving it of so much support against wind), unless it is the symptom or an attendant condition of some disease. If it is so, what is it? If the time is not fully occupied I should be glad to have the mat- ter brought.up. So far as I can observe, this black heart, whether the result of a hard winter or of bad culture, is the same. **T send a féw apples, a plate each of Baldwin, R. I. Greening, Wagener, E. Spitzenburg, Red Canada, Talman Sweet, G. Russet, Dumelow, and Autumn Strawberry. *“The Dumelow was received by that name from Wisconsin, and is certainly a very fine cooking apple, being very tart and cooking tender without losing its form. Autumn Strawberry is called by that name here. These with the Wagener and Baldwin, came from a neighbor, the rest from my cellar, and I now am sorry that I sent them, as they hardly do us justice as compared with the careful selections we might have made. Forty per cent of our Greenings were as good as those sent, and the Red Canadas and Spys were taken from our eating apples in the cellar, so we have not moved every stone to get the best, as we should do for such an occasion.’’ BLACK HEARTED TREES. A short discussion ensued on the above topic by Prof. W. J. Beal, N. Chil- son, of Battle Creek; H. Dale Adams, of Galesburg; E. H. Reynolds, of Monroe; Mr. Carpenter, of Orion; A. G. Gulley, of South Haven; B. G. Stout, of Pontiac—pro and con in favor of cultivating and not throwing away trees which are frozen when one and two years old. Mr. Stout stated that he set out an orchard of 1,000 trees which were frozen the first winter, and he thought that he had lost the whole, but an examination of the roots determined him to try them for a year or two. ‘hey were set in 1863, and last season he picked 800 barrels of prime fruit. Mr. Carpenter stated that in his section they favored eastern trees rather than western. Mr. Adams stated that during a visit to Western New York, he saw as many frozen trees in the nurseries as in this State. Mr. Gulley and Mr. Stout stated the same. Ba STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Prof. Beal said that most of those affected trees could be told from their ap- pearance by experienced fruit growers. Many of the affected trees would of course fail to do well. Such as did continue to grow would in a measure oyer- come the injury; although the heart did show black, it was only a damage so far as it weakened the strength of the tree. Mr. Chilson did not believe such trees were as good as those not affected. Had cut back some after the severe winter of some years ago. Mr. H. Dale Adams said that what was true in regard to nursery trees. must be somewhat so in the orchard, and that trees so affected by the frost must be a failure. Mr. Reynolds, of Monroe, said his experience was that all trees had been found to be affected on cutting in, and that they did not suffer much, many of the trees in the nursery overcoming it entirely if not transplanted too soon. He would not recommend setting such trees in an orchard, though some of them might do well. The discussion that followed showed that the general belief of the orchardists. present was that the black heart was not confined to western nurseries, but that eastern trees were also affected as badly as ours from the severe winter of 1874, and the general belief seemed to be that if the injured trees were allowed to remain in place and the following season was not too dry in the locality, they would entirely overcome the injury. Ht. D. Adams made a report as delegate to the N. Y. Horticultural Society, giving a synopsis of the questions discussed at their Society, and reports upon different fruits raised in Western New York, which was very full and able, and extracts of which will be found in the Secretary’s Portfolio of the present yolume. The chair here announced the usual committees, as follows: On Nomenclature of Apples—Messrs. C. N. Merriman, of Grand Rapids; N. Chilson, of Battle Creek; and Wm. Rowe, of Grand Rapids. On Ajples—Prof. W. J. Beal, of the Agricultural College; Byron G. Stout, of Pontiac; and EK. H. Reynolds, of Monroe. On all other Articles—Prof. C. L. Whitney, of Muskegon; A. G. Gulley, of South Haven; and W. Caldwell, of Commerce. On Resolutions—Wm. L. Webber, of East Saginaw; H. Dale Adams, of Galesburg; and 8. B. Mann, of Adrian. Mr. C. N. Merriman, President of the Grand River Valley Horticultural Society, then gave an address on HELPS, HURTS, AND HINDRANCES TO THE POMOLOGY OF MICHIGAN, In treating briefly to-day of helps, hurts, and hindrances to Michigan pomology, we can but touch upon some of the principal obstacles and enemies to be met in fruit growing, with suggestions upon practical remedies, hoping to draw out the riper experience of our best growers upon all practical points on these sub- jects during the discussions of this meeting. We will consider partially the advantages and disadvantages of our climate, frosts, winds, winters, insects, railroads and various aids toward productiveness and general efficiency in the pomological aims of our State. Some of us haye been too easily discourged by the exceptional severity of an occasional winter that causes damage and loss in trees in some instances and WINTER MEETING, 1877. 5 certain soils. I wish to ask what favored country on our broad smiling earth has escaped similar or more severe visitations of a sometime frigidity. Not the ‘‘dear sunny climes”’ of Italy, Spain, nor fair, favored France, nor yet our Florida, famed in Flora’s realms, nor the far Faderlands of Germany. Not while we read of an ice-bound Rhine and Seine; ice-bridges in the lower Mis- sissippi, and Florida’s frozen figs, oranges and bananas, frost-blighted acacias and magnolias. These are no rare occurrences in those and other most favored climes; and we may endure our severest winters as we do sickness and losses in our own ranks, thankful for past immunities, and hopeful of and for future suc- cess through our brightening prospects, in the ranks of our fair queen Pomona, in her most loyal province of Michigan. Now our most efficient remedy for hurts and hindrances of this ilk is, plant profusely. Plant again, set and reset, plant trees, plant vines! Like the election- eering creed on voting—plant early and often. Neither an occasional failure in crops nor loss of trees and yines, can controyert the fact, now so well demon- strated, that Michigan is a pomological State, and hard to beat in her line. Farmers must encounter seasons of drouth and of wet, yet they cling to corn, clover and wheat, wool, pork and stock. Just here we will refer to loss and injury from early and late frosts. In this regard we would reiterate what our society has so often urged before, viz. : the importance of your highest locations in fruit planting. Many have been diverted from this initial point vainly looking for protection, in shelter, in warm exposure, in timber belts, and the like, while atmospheric drainage is the protection required as indicated by the simple fact that we find the mercury showing a temperature several degrees lower in the valleys than upon the hill tops. We sometimes, however, see nature providing a preventive, or remedy against the disadvantages of the low lands, in clothing them in impenctrable fogs and night vapors. Light frosts have no injurious effects where vegetation remains long enough encased in this frost proof armor of humidity. But in these lowlands it is hazardous trusting to their remaining immured in these fickle yestures of surrounding moisture and yapors, for they are very liable to vanish with the dawn, and old Sol to beam forth with undimmed splendors on the doomed and frosted valleys. When unfortunately our plants have been frosted we hasten to relieve them by a sprinkling of water, and a thorough moistening before the sun or dry at- mosphere shall strike them. Now if agricultural chemistry or science will furnish us a material or method by means of which the blossoms and embryo fruit may be artificially clad in their vestures of moisture, then we haye an additional protection against the ravages of Jack Frost. The most efficient agent for this purpose within our knowledge is land plaster, or common gyp- sum. This cheap and abundant article, within the reach of all, seems to draw the moisture to the plant or the embryo fruit, and also to so concentrate the ammonia and gases from the passing vapors, as to feed, protect and strengthen the germ and young fruits, and to tide them over some of the vicissitudes of their early stages, such as frosts, not too severe, and our cold drying easterly winds, or other blighting winds that have sometimes blasted whole crops. Those who haye tried it told me they had saved their crops of stone fruits by the use of this convenient remedy or preventive. Their manner of applying was by repeatedly sowing it over leaves and blossoms of all trees through the season of blooming and fruit setting, while damp with morning dews or rain. It can’t be applied too often over our orchards as aboye. It has been attended 6 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. with inyariably favorable results we believe, whether the test were upon seed or stone fruits. If any ask a full explanation of the phenomena of these mysterious opera- tions of gypsum upon yegetation and production, we would recommend them to a study of the subject by actual experiment, simply promising that this agent of fertility and general productiveness is one of the helps that Michigan places at the door of every grower who will avail himself of its virtues. INSECTS. We come now to consider our insect foes. We haye them in common with the rest of the world, their name is legion, one of the most destructive of which is the inveterate codling moth. But, my friends, as to its power to ruin and destroy our entire apple crop, despite our best efforts, we say, give way to no fears and misgivings of any such gloomy result. Nor need any but the lazy man give up to utter loss his plum crop to that deadly desperado, the plum curculio; but take heart of grace and fight these little fiends, both of them, by all the known methods and appliances, by bands of cloth, matting or other material round the trees, examining often and killing their tenants, You will sometimes find the moth worm by the hundred at a time under a sin- gle band left too long unattended. Set the birds to fighting them by the paper bands around the trees, through which the birds can and do with unerring instinct, strike and extract our hated pest, their loved titbit. Have your hogs fight them too, running in the orchard constantly during the season, devouring insects and imperfect fruit. Fight them by scraping off all loose, rough bark and moss and washing with lye or other washes, which destroy the eggs and larye. Fight them by cremation, equally or more effective for the purpose, passing lighted torches of flame along trunk and limbs, flashing over the bark, it is harmless to the tree, but death to the vermin and their hateful progeny; fight them, we say by all means known for the extermination of the pests, but neyer give in to them. An easy method with the plum trees is a coop of young chicks under each; and it is well known that in the pig and chicken yards plums are grown without difficulty. We Wolverines are apt to think that New York State is the paradise of orchardists, and, per contra, Yorkers think it located in Michigan. A farmer said to me the other day: ‘They don’t have the codling mothin York State ; they don’t have wormy apples, either.”’ If this be true it is because they have had their day there, and run out, and may Heaven grant that they may do the same here. May we not conclude that the only serious hindrance to the great- est growth and most triumphant prosperity in Michigan pomology would be the laxity or laziness of the growers of fruits. ‘Their successes have been per- haps too easy. Our grower often has such enormous crops of fruit that he gives up in despair of being able to take care of it all, and follow out the best methods and rules towards his greatest attainable degree of perfection. Finally we have cheap and ample transportation for fruits by water and rail, and we have at last gained the substantial sympathy and co-operation of our railroads; with, perhaps, one or two exceptions, very soon there shall not be one exception, but all meet us half-way and willingly grant all courtesies, to which our societies are entitled by their gratuitous labors for the great industries. The next thing on the programme was a discussion on the topic WINTER MEETING, 1877. 7 FRUIT AS A PART OF GOOD LIVING. Mr. Garfield. —The subject assumes no inconsiderable importance when we have such an enormous crop of fruit as was our fortune the past season. The demand lies with the consumers, and if they believe that fruit is an essential to a thoroughly good living, and that it is the most healthy material upon which to make a diet, the methods for using it in variety willincrease, and the aggregate amount used will be augmented, thus using up the products of the orchards to good advantage. Even among people who raise an abundance of good fruit it is not employed as a part of the family living, as I should think it would be. Ripe fruit for dessert is infinitely more palatable and healthy than pastry, and still how few tables have it in abundance! Iam strongly in favor of add- ing more fresh fruit to our table diet. If put in the place of rich pastry a large amount of dyspepsia would disappear as if by magic. Prof. Beal.—I most heartily concur in that which has been said, and would add that if apples are dried by the new process, now so common, they are nearly as good as green ones, and there is no reason why this dried fruit cannot be made, in years of great plenty, very cheaply, so that all can enjoy the pleasure of using what comes very nearly to green fruit. Mr. Merriman.—I often wonder why there is not more progress in methods of keeping grapes. They are so universally enjoyed in their fresh state, and make so delicate a table dessert, that they should not be confined to a few weeks, but should grace the table for months. I believe this can be done; in truth I have myself kept grapes through the winter in beautiful condition. When this is generally accomplished we shall not need to resort to wine for the juice of the grape, and we shall have no danger of over-stocking the market, Mr. Stout.—I do not yet believe we have reached perfection in the making of apple sauce, and it is quite desirable that there be progress made in this direction. Preserves made richly are not fit to eat, and we ought to put in their place a healthful sauce that can be made by any one, and I am free to say that my method for making a genuine article of apple sauce has yet to find a supe- rior, either in simplicity or perfection. It is simply to cook the apples slowly for a long time, thus preserving the form of the pieces, and giving a richness of color and flayor obtained in no other way. I am satisfied that if all who love apple sauce will try this method they will never abandon it, and thus we are furnished with a key to one method of answering the question of what shall we do with our apples. Mr. Southard.—I am convinced that we eat too much meat, and too little fruit. I have always had good health, and feel indebted for it largely to the fact that long ago I decided to substitute in my living apples for hog. President Lyon then delivered his INAUGURAL ADDRESS. Entering, as we do, upon the preparations for the labor of another year, we may very properly turn our attention for a few moments to a retrospect of our operations during the one just now expired, with the hope that, out of its varied experiences, we may be able to draw some deductions that shall point to possi- ble improvements for the future. Looking over the ground at the opening of last year’s operations, and con- sidering how largely the centennial year, and the claims of the gigantic 8 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. exposition at Philadelphia, covering the entire active season, with the work imposed upon our society by our State Centennial Commission, must tax the wholly voluntary energies of our members, it was judged expedient to forego, for the year, the offering of premiums for orchards and gardens, and to sub- stitute for the usual orchard committee a corps of fruit collectors, operating under the auspices of the State Centennial Commission, in part atleast, in the gathering, transmission to Philadelphia and exhibition there, of collections of fruits, such as should adequately indicate to the world the real capacity of our State for the pursuit of this specialty. That our society has been able to achieve a reasonable degree of success in this undertaking, is, we trust, very generally admitted; although the true measure of that success can hardly be fully understood, until the publication of the reports proper, of the group of judges specially in charge of the pomological exhibits. We will only state that, in a private letter, written since the close of the exhibition, one of the judges of this group, who has, throughout, partici- cipated in the weekly examinations of fruits, and in the recommendations of awards, remarks that the display of Michigan fruits, as a whole, was at least equal to that of any other State. So far as the May exhibit of fruits, the growth of 1875, is concerned, there seems to have been little attempt to compete with us; and hence the Michigan collection, by universal assent, stands out prominently as the characteristic fea- ture of the entire display of that season. So many serious obstacles were found to exist, militating against the prospect of success, in any attempt to compete with localities more immediately adjacent to the exposition, in the display of the earlier and more perishable small fruits, prominent among which were their perishable character, the warmth of the weather when they would be in season, the expense of the packing requisite to provide against inevitable rough handling, as well as the exorbitant charges, and other vexatious exactions of the express companies, to which the packages must be entrusted, that, after eareful consideration, it was decided to omit all attempt at a general display of these classes of fruits; leaving the exhibit to commence with the season of plums and peaches. The display of plums coming mainly from the extreme north, under the careful packing and judicious management of Judge Ramsdell, of Traverse City, proved highly creditable and satisfactory. That of peaches, in the efficient hands of H. E. Bidwell, of the ‘* Peach Belt,’’ especially so far as the earlier varieties are concerned, was compelled to encounter more serious difficulties, growing out of larger size of the fruits, exceeding delicacy of texture, perishable character, and the warmth of the season during which they were in condition; to which must be added the im- possibility of securing at the same time rapid transmission and careful handling. Notwithstanding these serious obstacles most of these collections came through in very tolerable condition; and, as a whole, the display of this fruit was very creditable. Grapes came in at a later date; after the greatest heat of the season was past; which permitted shipping them through as fast freight, thus exempting them from the trying ordeal of being hastily tumbled from one express car to another while en route. This exemption, together with careful packing, and management, under the practiced hand of Mr. E. Bradfield, of Ada, brought out the display of this fruit in condition to play an important part in filling up the measure of our reputation as a fruit growing State. WINTER MEETING, 1877. 9 Pears, under the supervision of I. E. Ilgenfritz, of Monroe, were out in very considerable force, and among them were some very fine specimens; especially some plates of Bartlett and Flemish Beauty, from the Peninsula in ‘Traverse Bay; which were, in our estimation, the most beautiful specimens of this fruit in the entire exhibition, although others may have excelled them in size. Apples, of course, constituted the great bulk, and also the overshadowing feature of the entire collection; and the magnitude of the entire exhibit may be better appreciated if we state that Michigan must have placed upon the tables, during the latter part of September and the first half of October nearly or quite three full carloads of apples; exclusive of other fruits. This being the case, we will have little difficulty in understanding that the collector of this fruit, Mr. H. Dale Adams, of Galesburg, must have found the task of its collection, shipment, and arrangement an onerous one. The grand display of apples had been fixed by the Centennial Commissioners for the second week in September, a date quite too early for the maturity of this fruit in Michigan. For this reason it was decided not to attempt a full exhibit during that week; but to defer the same till the period of maturity ; when the size, color and quality could be more perfectly shown; the assurance haying been received, that an exhibit then would be accorded the same meas- ure of recognition as if shown at the time specified for the purpose. In dismissing this subject, we may indulge the remark that, in view of the insufficiency of the Legislative appropriation for the purpose, the work of col- lecting and forwarding “this display of fruits must have lagged, and would pos- sibly have been in the main abandoned but for the active sympathy of the State Centennial Commission, and, in a very direct and effective manner, that of Governor Bagley. The joint exhibition of this society and the State Agricultural Society, at the recent State Fair at Jackson, occurring during my necessary detention at the Centennial, is undertood to have been very satisfactory in its results, and to haye added strength to the union of the two societies, as is evinced by the readi- ness with which arrangements haye since been concluded for the continuation of such union in the conducting of the next annual fair, such arrangements having been entered into by the committees of the two societies, upon substan- tially the same basis as that of last year. The annual meeting of the society, which occurred at Coldwater, last Decem- ber, although not lar cely attended, was by no means lacking in interest; and it is hoped that a good foundation has been laid for the erowth of horticultural interests in that for tile and wealthy section of the State. At the February meeting of the society last year, a resolution was offered by W. L. Webber of East Saginaw, providing that moneys heretofore required to be invested in a life membership fund be placed in the general fund; and used in common with that fund, to meet the expenses of the society. This resolu- tion was referred to the society, to be considered at the annual meeting; but its consideration was, at that meeting, still farther deferred, on account of the absence of Mr. Webber. It is for the society to determine whether or not it shall be acted upon at this meeting. At the February meeting of last year a committee was raised charged with the duty of applying for and, if practicable, securing rooms in the new capitol, when completed, to be used as the headquarters of the society. Should this committee prove to have been successful in such application, it will doubtless now be time to consider the propriety of taking measures for the collection of a 2 10 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. library; and perhaps also of a museum; and, while on the subject, it would possibly be well to consider also the propriety of entering upon the preparation or collection of a set of artificial fruits in wax, representing at least, the varie- ties known and valued in our State, with such notes respecting each as shall render them useful to the student of pomology, when the real fruits may be out of season or not readily accessible, The society has long been, and we earnestly hope it may long continue to be greatly indebted to Prof. Cook, of the Agricultural College, for important and valuable information on entomological subjects; and in view of the increasing importance of this whole matter, not to fruit culturists only, but to agricultur- ists as well. I suggest the propriety of constituting a standing committee on entomology, with the Professor as its chairman, charged with the duty of col- lecting facts on the subject and collating them for the use and benefit of the society and the public. In view also of the wonderful peculiarities of our geographical position, and their influences upon the climate and meteorology of our State; and in consider- ation of the rapid and reckless destruction of our forests, and its probable influence upon the same, I suggest the appointment also of a standing com- mittee on meteorology, with powers similar to those conferred upon the previous one, and with special reference, in both cases, to the development of the bear- ings of the information elicited, upon the interests of fruit culture; it being anticipated that the agriculturists of the State will not fail to put in operation adequate arguments for similar purposes bearing more directly upon their interests. The planting of roadside trees apparently received a wonderful impetus last year from the timely proclamation of Gov. Bagley on that subject. I suggest to the society the consideration of the question, whether it has not also a duty to perform respecting this matter; also, whether it may not very properly memorialize the Legislature in favor of the enactment of a law to provide for the encouragement of persons planting or preserying belts of timber as wind- breaks, in exposed situations, by the exemption of lands so occupied from tax- ation or by other equivalent provisions. We may also, very properly, inquire what measures, if any, thesociety should institute for the encouragement of ornamental planting about our dwellings and grounds; also, as to the most efficient measures to be employed to educate and elevate the taste of such planters, as well as to increase their numbers. We may also accomplish an important result for a large class of our citizens. if we shall be able to devise effective means for protecting them against tho impositions of irresponsible and unscrupulous venders of trees and plants. The American Pomological Society is to hold its biennial session at the city of Baltimore, in September next. Owing to the uncertainty of a full attend- ance of the members at the June meeting; it will probably be thought best to consider, at this meeting, the propriety of arranging to be represented at such session, by a delegation and also by a collection of fruits. The South Haven Pomological Society, at its weekly meeting, on January 8th, extended an invitation to this society to hold its next June meeting at that place—assuring us of a cordial reception. Your consideration and acceptance of the invitation is requested. The process we haye thus far employed for the education of the planters of the State, as to the proper selection of varieties of fruits for planting purposes, seems to haye been, to a great extent, barren of the hoped for results. ‘This WINTER MEETING, 1877. ut process (the recommendation of lists of fruits), has been heretofore tried and abandoned, by various other kindred societies; and I, in advance, ask your careful attention to a proposed change in our mode of management in this par- ticular; which proposition is set forth ‘‘in extenso’’? in a paper which I am expected, during the meeting, to present to your consideration. The President announced the death of Mr. John Gilbert of Ovid, one of the pioneers, and a faithful and earnest worker in the society. Mr. Adams also announced the death of Henry Seymour, of Grand Rapids, and moved to appoint a committee on resolutions of respect. The President appointed Messrs. Beal, Merriman and Chilson. Adjourned to 7 P. M. Tuesday Evening. The evening session was opened by an address spoken by Hon. B. G. Stout, who, in place of the Mayor, welcomed the society to Pontiac. He thought our society ought to know no sectional limits to its endeayors in the State. The work we were accomplishing needed to be done everywhere. The raising of good, wholesome fruit is a matter of great importance to all, and a knowledge of the best methods, the best varieties, and how to market and use the fruit, are questions of equal importance in the east as in the west. President Lyon responded by saying that the meeting reminded him of his first visit to Oakland county fifty years ago, and then as he saw the beauty of the country with its varied soil and its beautiful lakes, it seemed to him a county of great promise. The years have shown a fulfillment of that promise. Man is an imitative being, and the beautiful county in its state of nature had begotten a desire to embellish, in those who had settled the country. He was glad to see the development of Oakland county, and would say that our society comes not only upon one mission, but rather a double one. The one to educate and develop an interest in matters of horticulture, and the other to imbibe instruction and enthusiasm from those whose experience is rich and varied. The taper loses nothing in starting the larger light, so we may while giving the initiatory step toward advancement not only not lose anything, but be the gainers thereby. We wish simply to develop the light that is already here, to take off the bushel that the State may see what can be done here. I trust we have not come in yain, and that you will soon be a part of our society, and feel the same work belongs to us all. The society next listened to an essay on WINDOW GARDENING. BY MRS. WM. SATTERLEE, PONTIAC. In presenting to you a few thoughts upon the subject of window gardening I will endeavor to give some practical hints to those who have had less experi- ence than I in its pleasures as well as its difficulties, in its successes as well as its defects. For nearly thirty years I have been an enthusiastic window gardener, and I find its delights more than repay the small outlay of time and labor required to render it in a measure successful. It is not necessary to go to much expense, or to spend a great umount of 12 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. time that could be more profitably employed in some other way, to have a few house plants, to adorn our windows and shed their refining influence over our homes. The most they require is an abundance of light, pure air, and a drink of water when thirsty. A shelf supported by a couple of brackets is very easily arranged, and is more convenient than a table, or even a flower stand, for it not only occupies less room, but does not interfere with sweeping in the least. Some plants will not thrive without sunlight ; few will repay you with blosoms without it, but if you give them a sunny window, and a judicious quantity of water, there are many yarieties that will bloom all winter. Plants are like children. Parents seldom find the dispositions, or even the appetites, of all their children precisely alike; so with plants we must study their wants and give them food according to their several needs. The heliotrope and fuchsia are gross feeders. The coleus has a brighter color and grows most luxuriantly in a poor and light soil. The calla and eupatorium require a great amount of water, while the hoya or wax plant and cactus thrive best with but little. The practice of giving plants a little water every day is very injurious, and to some even death. When you water them give a thorough drenching, then wait until they require it again, which you will soon be able to know by the sound of the jar when lightly struck. It is not only for the beauty, but the health of the plant requires that all dead leaves and faded blossoms be removed as fast as they appear. I have derived the most benefit from use of fertilizers applied in liquid form, though care should be used in their application. The insects the window gardener has most to contend with are the scale or bark louse, the aphis or green fly, and more rarely the red spider. Writers upon the red spider say it can be overcome by the fumes of sulphur. I pre- sume they would prove effectual, not only to kill the pests but the plants also. It is much easier to ayoid them than to rid the plant of them when once in- fested, and they will not appear if the air is sufficiently moist. Ar decoction of tobacco, not too strong, is excellent to shower roses and heliotropes, and is not relished by the the bark louse. Tobacco smoke will kill the green fly. Frequent showerings with clear water is a great preven- tive to all these pests. I could enlarge upon this subject almost indefinitely, but not wishing to weary you, I will only say ‘‘ Flowers are ever welcome,”’ and they beautify and shed their fragrance in the humble cottage as well as the stately mansion. Who that has daily watched the beautiful calla, as it unfolded its bright green leaves, and its pure white calyx, but has been led to look up with reverent and thankful hearts to Him who has bestowed upon us so freely, ‘‘Earth’s children,’’—loyely flowers ! Mr. Rowe.—I think it is a capital idea that the ladies are to take a part in our exercises, and such papers as has just been given us will help us to appreci- ate our whole field, and I trust we may have more of them. In smoking plants I think Mrs. Satterlee will find it policy to remove her heliotrope as it is quite impatient of smoke. Mr. Whitney.—The red spider is more frequent than we know; and an insect that can scarcely be seen save by a microscope is a pretty small thing to deal with. I haye had as much trouble with it on pot roses as anywhere, and haye found a good thorough drenching with whale oil soap suds an excellent remedy. WINTER MEETING, 1877. 13 People make great mistakes in purchasing plants. ‘They buy plants that are in bloom, and the result generally is that after a few blossoms more they are done blooming for the year. It would be far better to select those that had not yet come into flower that they may haye the full benefit of them. Mr. Garfield gave a description of ‘a fern case that he had made for his win- dow, which for a year had been a perfect success with very little. care, and no insect depredations. It consisted in a box the length of the window a foot wide and five inches deep, filled with earth and covered with a framework of glass, which kept in the moisture, and eyerything grew beautifully. ‘To those who could give but little care to plants he recommended this plan. Mr. Lyon said great care was required in the selection of the right plants for these window cases; that Mr. Garfield had chosen ferns and lycopods, which were eminently fitted for this kind of culture. Prof. Beal.—I can testify to the success of Mr. Garfield’s window garden, and can also testify to numbers of others that have been failures, from just the want of knowledge suggested by Mr. Lyon. It requires some tact and experi- ence to select the right kinds of plants, and have them succeed eyen in a wardian case. Mr. Byron G. Stout was the next speaker, who gave an address as follows, upon THE APPLE CROP—SHALL WE INCREASE IT AND HOW, AND WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH IT? No fruit in our temperate climate fills a more prominent place than the apple. Other fruits may be more attractive, yet considered well, its uses, its capability of preservation in its natural state, its ability to bear transportation, the apple stands the first of fruits. No wonder that according to tradition Mother Eve was tempted by it, though neither theologians nor pomologists have yet settled the fact whether it was a twenty ounce or a golden pippin. It is not my purpose to treat my audience as novices in fruit growing, and so follow the apple through all the processes of seed-sowing, grafting, transplanting, pruning and cultivation, but to give a few hints, the result of my own observa- tion, in conjunction with well established theories upon the subject. To me has been assigned the duty of discussing the apple—‘‘ How to increase the product.’’ ‘‘ How to save it.”’ ‘‘How to dispose of it.?’ ‘‘Is the crop liable to over-production?’? In considering the first question, I shall pass by all consideration of expedients to increase productiveness, such as special stimu- lants, root-pruning and the like, premising, however, in this connection, that no tree, upon indifferent soil, can thrive without sufficient plant-food. If our soils lack lime, the means of supply are at hand. If they lack vegetable matter and are too hard and compact, there are all through our State deposits of muck which composted with lime and ashes afford abundance of the required element. It is not enough, then, that we plant a tree, if leaving it unprotected, we find it in a few years, under the action of the southwest wind, pointing, as the sail- ors would say, ‘‘nor’ by nor’east,’’ and so exposing the southwest side of the trunk to the action of rays of the sun falling vertically upon it. It is not enough that we prune or graft our trees, if through neglect, we leave suckers to grow at the side of the graft, sapping its life and filling the center of the tree 14 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. top with unsightly non-productive branches. We plant trees enough to give every household in the land an ample supply of good fruit, yet, to many, the apple i is stilla luxury. We say, then, that the care of the orehand is the main thing in securing an ample supply of fruit. First, as contributing to increased production, let us speak of a selection of sites for our orchards. A warm soil and a southern exposure are often selected for this purpose. This no doubt conduces to a rapid growth of wood, yet it frequently renders the crop precarious. In Michigan, protected as we are by surrounding lakes, we rarely lose the crop from frost after blossoming, yet of all locations, conducive to this end, situations protected from the north wind, and open to the sun on the south, are most lable to this calamity. The warm sun in February or March sometimes swells the buds prematurely, and a cold frost following seals their fate. Besides this, the action of the sun upon the trunk of the tree, in such situations, is very marked. ‘The shaded side of the tree in midwinter remains frozen, while the south side is thoroughly thawed. In summer the north side, protected by the tree itself, remains at the minimum temperature, while the south side, under the unobstructed action of the summer sun, experiences a temperature of 120 to 130 degrees. This unequal action changes the nature of the sap, and blight and gradual destruction of the exposed side follows. This difficulty is aggray ated by the trunk leaning to the east or the northeast, and by the folly of some orchard- ists who persist in training the tops so high that a span of horses seventeen hands high may draw the plow under the tree without touching branches. We think that this liability to blight is increased by training trees with trunks too long, thus exposing more body to the sun and depriving the trunk of the shade of the top. Upon sites having a slight inclination to the north, the pre- maturely warm sun of March, or the heat of midsummer is materially modified, then if pains be taken to secure the erect growth of the tree, or if any inclina- tion of the trunk when small be advised, if it be slightly inclined against the prevailing wind, the sad effect of sunburning upon our orchards may be obviated. In a setting of over twenty-five hundred apple trees upon my own premises, I have lost none from sun-blight, except in cases where the trunks were long, or so much inclined to the northeast as to carry the top so far over as to afford no shade to the trunk. ‘There are, of course, objections to training trees too low, yet, all things considered, I incline to the opinion that the advantages of low trees are more numerous than the objections. But our orchards are already set; we have followed the common method of high trunks; we have possibly carelessly permitted the trees to lean to the east. What shall we now do to prevent sun-blight? I submit whether wrapping the trunk with tough paper loosely tied would not afford protection till the top shall be large enough to shade the trunk. Possibly the end could be better attained by standing a piece of board against the trunk of the tree on the southwest side, and fasten- ing the top to the tree by a loose string so that the wind will not disturb it. In this or in some similar way hundreds of valuable trees may be saved, and thus the productiveness of our orchards increased. Again, the production of fruit can be increased by avoiding that waste of fruit material, now lost in negligent pruning. I have no desire to make the saw and the pruning knife the chief figures on the coat of arms of the successful orchardist, nor would I have them absent entirely. They both do a good work, but let that also be a timely work. What are the mammoth brushheaps, contiguous to our orchards, but a commentary upon work done, only too late. Why waste the WINTER MEETING, 1877. 15 energy of our trees in the bootless task of woodgrowing, only to be cut out and discarded—would it not be far better to go through our orchards annually, and with an eye to the symmetry of our trees, cut out the sur plus wood when a mere twig, rather than wait till it becomes a branch three inches in diameter, the removal of which must impair the vitality of the tree? ‘The pinching of a bud will stop the growth of the incipient limb. A common knife will remoye a sprig in a second, ‘that in five years will require the saw, and the paint pot. The good book enjoins, “If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off.’ We would, however, suggest to teach our hands good manners and saye all occasion for dismemberment. Begin at the beginning with our fruit trees and save the need, as well as the misfortune of too much orchard surgery. The life of the tree is the sap, and thousands of trees perish annually, or receive great injury from the excessive bleeding which even the coat of wax often fails to staunch. Again, the success of the orchardist depends much upon care of the trees after grafting,—assuming that this work has been well done, all is not ac- complished when the cion is set. If the tree is vigorous and the entire top has been grafted, the half of the energies of the tree will be wasted in growing useless sprouts instead of pushing forward the graft, unless the tree be carefully attended to. Ihave found it necessary to go through my grafts twice a year to rub off a part of the excessive growth upon the body of the tree, so that they would not detract from the growth of the graft itself. In this connection we may make the same suggestions concerning the removal of sprouts that grow from below the point where the tree is trimmed, which if neglected wastes the strength of the tree in growing useless wood. Before leaying the subject of judicious trimming of trees, I would suggest that care be taken to prevent the prominent upright branches of trees from growing so close together that the outer bark of each branch at the point of intersection comes in contact. Decay in this case is inevitable. The rain pass- ing down the branches saturates the outer bark,—which confined between the branches cannot dry out again, and the loss of a tree is only a matter of time. I pass by the subject of mulching as contributing to the means of the pro- duct of our orchards. J apprehend that the question of irrigation will in the future occupy a more prominent place. The destruction of fruit trees, includ- ing the apple, in the winter of 1874-5, was general throughout our State. Large thrifty trees were frozen out bodily. In my observation the Baldwin and Spy suffered the most. In seeking the probable cause we find the autumn of 1874 very dry, and winter set in with the soil as dry as the proverbial ash-bed. So great was the drouth that the snow melting in the spring of 1875, was scarcely sufficient to moisten the earth to the depth. of one foot. Below that depth there was so little moisture that the earth upon digging, ran like quicksand. The earth, thus dry and porous, admitted the cold air to the lowest roots. Michi- gan lost in that winter one hundred thousand apple trees alone. Most of these i think might have been saved had they been thoroughly irrigated before the ground had frozen. I lost one thousand dollars’ wor th, which, ra think, an out- lay of two hundred dollars, in a wind-mill, tank, hose, and watering cart, might haye saved. The earth thus saturated with water would have afforded protec- tion to the roots and have saved them from destruction. The benefit of irrigation is not confined to protection of trees in winter. The foliage in dry midstmmer indicates clearly the want of sufficient moisture. What many are inclined to attribute to the east wind in way of blasting the in- incipient fruit, | am led to attribute to cold dry winds in connection with 16 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. insufficient moisture in the soil. The tree sending forth its bud and blossom, and comparatively sapless from long winter exposure, must draw upon the roots for more than a common supply. If the roots are short of life blood, it is no wonder that frequently the fruit does not set and the crop is a failure. At no time in the year is a due moisture of the soil of more importance than at the time of setting of the fruit, and at the beginning of winter—the one I apprehend is essential to the protection of the tree from frost, and the other to its successful fruiting. ‘Thorough mulching may, however, measurably supply the want of sufficient rainfall, by preventing evaporation in summer, and excessive freezing in winter. I have incidentally spoken of low branches as desirable in the apple tree. When we consider the protection that such afford to the trunk, thus saying the injury of sunblight, I think the considerations in favor of low trees predom- inate. The limbs should be trained sufficiently high to afford ample circula- tion of air under the branches, yet so low that one-half the fruit can be picked from a stool on the ground. Strong limbs, brought out four feet from the ground, branching at an angle of forty -five degrees, so as to make an open top for air and sunlight, ee in my judgment the best tree. Let us recapitulate its advantages : 1st. The trunk is shaded so as to avoid sunblight. 2d. The fruit is easily picked. 3d. The wind is less likely to break the tree, or cause the fruit to fall, 4th. The falling fruit is little bruised, The end of increased productiveness in the apple crop will then be attained by properly caring for the tree, and saving the most of the fruit. This brings us to the second branch of our subject, ‘* How to save the crop.’’ It is not enough that we have apples in September and October, we want them in May and June. The problem of saving the frwit is then an important one. Saying the fruit is not, however, the mere putting it in store. The beginning of the process is back of that... The picking is an important part of the work, and the time of picking more important still. The farmer seeks to cut his wheat, oats, and clover at the proper time, thinking that the plumpness of the grain and the superior quality of the hay depends upon consulting the proper time of harvest. The grower of tobacco or sugar cane will engage all the labor at his command to secure their respective crops, not a day too early nor yet a day too late. So much depends upon just the right time in which to do their work, yet many orchardists will pick their apples when all else is done. It matters little with them whether they are picked in September or November so that they are housed before snow flies. The folly of this policy is apparent when we consider that he who picks his apples in September saves one-fourth of the crop, that would be on the ground in October, and one-half that would be windfalls in November, and fit only for the cider press. It is safe to compute that Michigan lost 100,000 bar- rels in this way in the fall of 1876, half of which would have been mer- chantable if picked at the proper time. May we not then say that the question of increasing production runs practically into the problem of saving the fruit when grown. The Snow apple and the Golden Pippin are quite out of the market in December. Pick them the first of September and they will be sound in February. Pick the Greening at the same time and you will have it fresh in May, slightly shriveled perhaps, but juicy and of good flavor. Pick the same apple the 20th of October and it will be mealy, cracked WINTER MEETING, 1877. Ev and tasteless in April. ‘To make the point practical I will say that on the 10th of September I picked a barrel of English Streaks, headed it loosely, turned it down under the tree, and left it till winter suggested taking it to the cellar. Six weeks later, I picked a barrel of apples from the same tree equally sound and took them to the cellar with the others. I opened both barrels in Ji anuary, the last picked had not a peck of sound apples in the barrel, the first had not a peck of bad ones, I have the latter in my cellar to-day. These results speak for themselves. In my opinion the apple should be picked as soon as fully grown. It should not be ripe. Ripeness and maturity of growth are quite different things. We deem our apples mature at ordinary time of picking, yet they may not be ripe strictly speaking till mid-winter. Ido not purpose to discuss the question of handling or style of package— whether it is best to place in barrels, bins or upon shelves , whether to pack the fruit by itself or with cnt straw, sawdust or chaff. This I will say that the time of picking has more to do with the preservation of the apple than many are yet willing to concede. The practice of heading tight barrels as soon as the apples are picked is much to be deprecated. Apples, in common with other fruits, as well as grain, go through a process of sweating, which if not open to the air will cause decay. Two weeks ought to elapse from picking to time of packing. consisting of up- wards of 3,000 trees. One of the great obstacles to the destruction of the insect is that the trees are very thick,—standing only about twenty feet each way. Mr. Bailay says that he first discovered something the matter with his trees some five or six years ago. He thinks it must have been brought there with scions that were got somewhere in the State of New York. 1 have not yet seen the orch- ard, but am told that it is nearly or quite rnined. The best I can say of it is, that the Lenawee County Farmers’ Club has taken hold of the matter and put it into the hands of a committee of five, who have held one conference with the owner, and have his agreement to cut away one-half of the trees as the first moye. It is to be hoped,—and I feel almost safe in saying,—that the Club will not let go the matter till the pest is routed and destroyed. There are vari- ous methods recommended, but all cost some money and a good deal of labor, and the owner of the orchard no doubt feels that the burden i is falling heavily on him, and as the orchard is nearly or quite past help, it is feared “he may abandon it simply and let it go as it will, which of course must prove very dis- astrous to the community about him. How much cause for alarm there may be among the pomologists of the county or to this society, which should have an eye to the interests of the entire State, I cannot tell. Itis at least one more proof added to the truth of the old adage: ‘‘No excellence without labor ;’’ for earnest and continued labor must be expended if this new pest does not become, like the codling moth, a common enemy in our State Wednesday Morning. The first topic of the morning was discussed by Mr. H. Dale Adams, and was entitled CRAB APPLES—HOW TO GROW AND HOW TO USE THEM. He said crab apples were not appreciated as much as they ought to be for use in the home, and the fact that the trees bearing this beautiful fruit are perfectly hardy, and all the best sorts exceedingly productive, is a matter worth considering in choice of fruit to be planted for the family. He believed in growing them for canning, for pickling and preserving, and especially for the 4 26 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. making of jelly. Nothing can excel the delicacy of jelly made from the finer kinds of crabs. But the use of the crab apple of which the speaker thought the most was for ornamental purposes, on the lawn and about the house. ‘He would use the trees for single specimens and for grouping. The crab apple trees are not half appreciated as ornamental trees. The foliage is beautiffl and add to this the rich colors of the fruit that contrasts so exquisitely with the deep green leaves, and we have a combination that for effect cannot be excelled. He spoke especially of the hyslop crab as being a model of beauty, when the fruit began to put on the rich tint indicating a ripe condition. A plantation of these, he observed, was the most beautiful of the many beautiful things he saw on Traverse peninsula. Following Mr. Adams’ remarks Prof. Beal occupied the attention of the meeting for an hour, with an address on HORTICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS.* He spoke of the necessity of more knowledge among the people that culti- vate the soil. People do not even practice those which they know to be the best methods. ‘Those who are interested in our agricultural colleges enough to look at their work, propound a great many questions in agriculture and horti- culture, regardless of the fact that when they get the solutions in very many instances they do not employ the results to any adv antage. As an instance the fact that a rotation of crops is a great improvement in agriculture was given, and still men practice it only occasionally, even although there is no fact more settled. He said discoveries were made by men who worked to find them out, and it was a rarity to stumble upon one by chance with no effort. It is with difficulty that accurate experiments can be made in horticulture on account of our small control oyer rain, sunshine, frost, ete. For instance, we may desire to test the value of certain fertilizers as used upon yarious trees in an orchard, it is the next thing to impossible to secure any two trees that are under like conditions, and the fruits and growth of two trees not dealt with at all may vary as much as any two treated with different fertilizers. Some call for immediate results in horticultural experiments. ‘They know nothing of the difficulties that the experimenter must encounter, nor of the utter worthlessness of decis- ions arrived at on short notice. A good experimenter must be honest, patient, skillful, persevering and long suffering, a good observer, and know what has already been accomplished in his line. The Professor added that farmers to be successful in any line of experiment must be students, and particularly in horticultural experiments, must know a good deal of botany and vegetable physiology. A large number of subjects were sug gested as proper for original work or ex- periments, of which we give a few. In the mutual influence of stalk and scion after all that is said of it, there is very little of definite knowledge, founded on exact observation and experiment. If we knew exactly how far this influence extended it would enable us to make very many practical uses of it; for in-- stance, we would know if we could in our climate make the Baldwin apple and Iona grape hardy enough for safety by putting them upon hardy stocks. * The full text of this address may be found in the report of the State Board of Agriculture fo- 1876, page 20v. WINTER MEETING, 1877. 2% Irrigation in horticulture is in its infancy, and we need to know how, and how much it will pay. We have yet to learn how to raise peaches in frosty locations, what plants are best for hedges and screens in our latitude, and how much it will pay to thin fruit. The great questions of pearblight, and yellows in the peach. are unsettled as to their causes or cure. In the destruction of insects there is an endless amount of experimental work to be done. In the deterioration of certain crops, and the remedies by cross-fertilization, and changing of seed, are ques- tions yet in their infancy, and although Darwin has opened a grand field for in- vestigation in this direction, he has but stepped into it. The improvement of our native fruits is a matter of the greatest importance in our county, and there has almost nothing been done in ae direction. Al- though we are rich in native species that might be improved by cultivation, still nearly everything in the fruit line that we grow is of foreign importation. The Professor dwelt at some length on the importance of crossing fruits, and quoted the experiments of Rogers and Arnold in fruits and grains, Presi- dent Wilder, George Campbell, and a dozen others, in various plants. There are but few good workers in this field, yet every one who has worked well has brought out something of real worth. It takes a long time to get accurate re- sults, but they are worth something when established. The future will bring greater exhaustion of soil and more insects, so that experiments of this sort will be required, and still the work will grow no easier with the added years. 5 President T. ‘I’. Lyon then read an address as follows, upon THE CLASSIFICATION OF FRUITS—HOW THE CATALOGUES OF OUR SOCIETY SHOULD BE ARRANGED. This society, in the discharge of the duty it may be assumed to owe to the people of the State, seems, almost from the time when it came into existence, to have realized the great need, to the public, of better information on the sub- ject of varieties of fruits best adapted to meet the wants of the planters of our State. Up to the present time its efforts in this direction have been mainly devoted to the preparation of lists of varieties, calculated to more or less fully meet the varied circumstances under which planting is to be done,—certainly a very im- portant object, in view of the well known fact that, as a rule, the composition of our orchards may be said to have been determined yery largely—in many cases almost eutirely—by the dictum of irresponsible tree peddlers, or of tree growers; both, obviously, having interests in the matter often quite diverse from those of the orchardist or gardener; and hence not just the parties to whom a judicious and careful planter should apply for advice in a matter of such moment, and involving steps which, once taken, must become more or less operative for a lifetime. ven when such advice is honestly and wisely given, however, in dealing with any but trustworthy parties, the planter not unfrequently learns, after nursing his plantation up to the period of fructifica- tion, that, either through the carelessness or dishonesty of the dealer, varieties not ordered, and not unfrequently spurious or worthless ones, have been foisted upon him. To the question—Is there not a remedy for this difficulty? We can only repeat the oft reiterated reply—learn well what you want, and buy directly 28 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY of persons known to be worthy of confidence. Few persons are able to recog- nize varieties from the peculiarities of the wood growth; hence the buyer must trust mainly to the honesty and carefulness of the nurseryman—a necessity that can hardly be said to exist, in so broad and important a sense, in any other class of business transactions. ‘To this we may be allowed to add the further remark, that varieties differ greatly in vigor, and also in ease and certainty of propagation ; hence to require the propagator to supply a class of fruits—as the apple—in all its varieties, at the same price, is but offering a premium for dis- honesty, by tempting him to the incorrect naming of varieties; as it is beyond question true that certain varieties can be produced at half the cost of others of similar size. We will not, however, profess to entertain any very confident hopes of the effectiveness of these suggestions, with the very common circum- stance in mind, that it is by no means unusual for otherwise intelligent and clear-headed people to yield to the seduction of artful self-constituted and often entirely unknown peddlers of novelties, armed with wonderful pictures, taken, of course, from nature ; or with specimen fruits as fair and magnificent as those fabled to have grown in the garden of the Hesperides; but of whose connex- tion with the plants alleged to have produced them, they can only know from the ‘“‘ipse dizit’’ of the unknown vendor; engaging to pay extravagant prices for such plants, instead of applying to dealers of acknowledged reputation and known integrity for varieties of established character, at established prices. Beyond the purpose to provide lists of fruits as guides to the filling up of plantations, the society may be supposed to have been actuated by the wish to indicate, in a manner calculated to command confidence abroad, the measure of success of the sorts recommended, as compared with their standing else- where, as an indication of the general adaptation of our State to pursuits of this character. If we shall be at the trouble to institute an examination into the actual con- stitution of the orchards of our State, considered at large, we can hardly fail to be impressed with the fact that in despite of the large amount of valuable knowledge disseminated on this subject during the past half century, a very large proportion of the whole is comparatively valueless, on account of the unwise selection of varieties for the purposes intended, or of ignorance (or something worse), in the management; and it certainly may add much to our surprise at this circumstance to discover that even those orchards ostensibly planted for commercial purposes, and which, hence, should have commanded especial care and wisdom in the selection of the varieties, offer, as a whole, little exception to this rule. Soon after the organization of the society, itframed alist of twelve varieties of apples, which it ‘commended to the planters of the State as worthy of culti- vation. The society does not seem to have considered this as a satisfactory or final expression of its views, as we may infer from the circumstance that only a year or two later a committee was raised, charged with the duty of preparing a more full and complete list or set of lists, embracing recommendations in all the classes of fruits usually grown in our State. This committee dey eloped very marked differences of opinion among its members; and, after giving sey- a months to the consideration of the matter, finally cut the gordian knot by reporting in favor of three distinct lists, adapted to the varied wants likely to occur among planters, whether planting for commercial, family or amateur purposes. These lists, after running the gauntlet of criticism in committee, and of discussion by the society as a whole, were finally placed, where they WINTER MEETING, 1877. 29 haye now stood for four or five years, upon the record of the society as its matured conclusion, and its unqualified recommendation to the planters of the State. This being the condition of affairs, we may very reasonably inquire how many of the thousands who have planted orchards in Michigan during these yee haye been, to a considerable extent, induced to follow these lists in their selec- tions for planting. If there be any such, they certainly have not come within the sphere of our observation. Indeed, so diverse were the views of even the members of the committee whose workmanship we are now considering, that important portions of their tinal report were but a compromise, accepted for the purpose of securing a unanimous report, and we have reason to seriously doubt whether they would be largely followed, even by the members of the comiittee, in their own planting. That such should be the result of so important and carefully considered an act of the society, may well create surprise, at first thought; but when we come to consider the great contrariety of circumstances under which planting is done, as well as the diversified tastes and fancies of the planters, we will be quite as likely to wonder, rather, that the hope of producing concert of action in this particular, should have been seriously entertained. Indeed, when we consider the great variety of modifying circumstances, such as soils, climates, the special and peculiar objects of planting, and the contrariety of circumstances under which various markets are to be supplied, as well as the creater or less extent to which the wants or fancies of individual consumers may affect the problem, it may fairly be doubted whether anything approaching unanimity of practice ought to be expected ; and this will appear the more reasonable if we consider that the insular character of our State so peculiarly and wonderfully modifies its climate, and by its influence upon the problem of transportation constitutes such a multiplicity of special and peculiar requirements, that very few localities of considerable extent can be said to be subject to the same wants, or to require the same set of varieties of fruits for their proper and profitable accommodation. Yet another circumstance that may properly have a bearing against the fram- ing and recommending of any list or lists of varieties upon the theory under consideration i is the fact that, with the very large number of sorts now in cultiva- tion, no single variety can be named that shall not be liable to the charge that other sorts are at least equally desirable, and possibly for some purposes, even more so; and certainly no considerable list of varieties can be devised that may not be opposed by another entirely distinct one that shall be, at least in some important particulars, fully its equal if not evenits superior. This will be found to be in a very special sense true of lists devised for other than simply market purposes. Assuming then that the recommending of lists of varieties for general culti- vation has failed to accomplish the anticipated results as fully as had been hoped, we next come to consider in what way the society may be able to modify its action so as to more perfectly conduce to the desired object,—that of the encouraging of useful and valuable varieties of fruits to the exclusion of the unworthy or worthless ones. Most of the leading societies of the day seem to have pursued a course akin to that adopted by ourselves; although we are not snre that all have not ere this modified their modes of operation. Those familiar with horticultural his- tory will be able to recall the fact that such was the original plan of the national 30 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. (American Pomological) society. The managers of that society, however, were early forced to the conclusion that so ereatly do varieties vary, even within comparatively narrow limits, that there ‘could’ be no reasonable hope that they would succeed in the framing of satisfactory lists to be recommended for gen- eral cultivation throughout any considerable region of our common country. That society, therefore, as early as 1858 or 1860, appointed a committee embracing scyeral of the most eminent and noted pomologists of our country to devise a plan of operations that should, as far as possible, avoid these diffieul- ties, at the same time providing, as far as practicable under the circumstances, for the special requirements of ‘the various localities. After two years of labor over this difficult problem this committee submitted a report in which they borrowed, in part, from the plan of the catalogue of the London (England), Horticultural Society; and in part, perhaps, from other sources, elaborating from the mmole the plan of the present catalogue of the American Pomological Society, at has now come to. be recog- nized and quoted as authority by ine, pomological writers, not of this country only, but also of Europe. ‘To the plan of this catalogue, therefore, we may very naturally turn for hints by which to be guided in casting about for an im- proved plan of operations; and we may feel the more confidence in doing so from the significant circumstance that other and older organizations have already led the way in this direction. In the catalogue under consideration the names of varieties are arranged in alphabetical order at the left side of the left hand page. pase! at the right of the names are arranged seven columns, in which, by a very simple sys- tem of abbreviations, are given descriptions of these fruits; including size, form, color, quality, uses, season, and place of origin. The remainder “of the two adjacent pages is devoted to a series of fifty vertical columns,—one to each of the States and Territories, including the British Provinces. In these columns the yarieties recommended are indicated by a star in line opposite the name, and if esteemed very valuable, by two stars. Varieties newly introduced and considered promising are indicated by a dagger. From this explanation it will be seen that the names of each fruit recommended from any one of these localities appears in its regular alphabetical order in the column of yarieties, and that by tracing its parallel across the columns spoken of we find first its description and farther on the stars which determine in which of the States it is recommended for cultivation. The large number of localities represented involves the employment of two pages for the purpose, and to facilitate the tracing of each, the varieties are numbered consecutively, upon the left margin of each page. For the purpose of illustrating the manner in which this general plan may be adapted to the local requirements of the State of Michigan, we may explain that a serious difficulty in the framing of our lists, as they at present stand, arises in part from the practical impossibility of meeting the wants of localities, and in part, doubtless, from the mere lack of experience with certain sorts in some localities. These circumstances would seem to point to the necessity of dividing the State into districts, each of which may be allowed a column in the manner already indicated. The smaller space required would render it practica- ble to provide for a more full and minute designation of the qualities or uses of each variety, as well as of its measure of success and desirability in our State; while, by devoting the two opposite consecutive pages to the purpose, with a resort to ‘numbering as heretofore described, abundant space may be had WINTER MEETING, 1877. for qualifyine emarks, which are frequently found to be of great importance to the accurave and reliable qualifying of varieties. In a plan for the purpose proposed, it also seems important to provide for a proper expression of the special uses to which varieties are best adapted; and to, in some concise and simple manner, indicate the measure of their value for such uses, thus consti- tuting .the proposed catalogue a means, by the judicious use of which the planter, in the lack of practical acquaintance with varieties, may with reasona- ble certainty determine how far a given yariety can be relied on to meet his special requirements. The usual pomological terms, ‘‘good,’’ ‘‘ very good’* and ‘‘ best,’ are em- ployed as mere indications of the three grades of quality of fruit, ba have no reference to anything beyond; so that even such a fruit as the old and now little known Herefordshire Pearmain, which usually for nine years out of ten is so scabby as to be utterly without value, must, so far as these terms are em- ployed, be designated as ‘‘best.’? To avoid any misapprehension growing out of the use of these terms in the usual manner, we propose to combine the ex- pression of the uses and values in a series of three columns headed respectively “«dessert,’’ ‘‘ cooking’’ and ‘ market,’’ and to indicate the value of the variety for each of these purposes in its proper column by numbers ranging from one to ten, the latter expressing the highest measure of value for the purpose indi- cated. With a catalogue of this character carefully and judiciously constructed it will be readily seen that any planter can at a glance determine how far any one of the varieties catalogued is adapted to his peculiar wants, purposes or fancies, and’ will be able to make up his own lists in accordance with such wants, and with trustworthy means at hand to enable him to judge wisely as to what sorts will prove best calculated to meet the peculiar purpose he may have in view. In order to put the ideas suggested into tangible form, and to enable the reader to the more perfectly comprehend the arrangement as proposed, we have catalogued the varieties included in the society’s lists of apples recommended for general cultivation, and adapted the same to the size of a page of the last volume of its transactions, or to two pages if the second shall be employed for qualifying remarks as heretofore suggested. (See pages 32-3.) A little consideration will doubtless bring us to the conclusion that a cata- logue of the character proposed can never be assumed to be complete, inasmuch as the variations of climates and soils, as well as the variable wants and fancies of planters, and even the fickleness of markets, to say nothing of the occa- sional bringing out of new fruits, must, as we find to be the case with the works of writers on fruits (and indeed to a greater or less extent in almost all departments of literature) create a necessity for the constant revision of our work in these respects. One of the circumstances, moreover, upon which the value of such a work must greatly depend will be found to be the ability to se- cure its just and assured expression of the capabilities of the State as a whole, in other words to protect it against undue modification from merely local influences—a tendency to be the more carefully guarded against for the reason that the meetings of the society occur under such varying circumstances that should the work of revision be retained in the hands of the membership at large it would be quite liable to at least occasionally fall into the hands of those whose knowledge of the subject might prove to be too local for the scope of the work to be undertaken. = me gS eS ee ee —————————— — i , ‘roquioydog ApIvd toy opddy JoOOMs SuTyuq o[(vatsop ysout puv ysoyort oy AyQvqoId |---| « [a le le | 3 | 9 | @ [tary |ydog CPO 1: GAS a oR ‘UL | -*ooooo""="""g09ag Logz0r| 9% ‘sojddy 1ojura AyTIve SuowWeT souvivoddy ro Aqipenb ur saorodns ae jt ‘AMOS SVUET] « | x |x lx lx | 8 | 9 | 6 |‘SSVIN|‘QOm ‘00d |"q ak [OUT | ----yonsuoN uojspavqquy| zs ULINGRUE 199FV dooy jou [ITA gnq ‘sojddy oSavy Jo ysoq Atos oy} JOOUO] % | x Je le le | 8 | E | L |X N|9d0g “q “AB |x *[ | worsen ronse= ===-="2-- formar! 1g ‘raqmuajdag a0j ofddy yooMs yout ATOA VW} ---"|---- Ie [a lx [oS | 9 | F | ’ssum|ydeg Sta [AB [oy [rut | --------------goamg TLoxsUET| 02 stadaoy ouy v ; pur oATgonpord sqmaz oppuMore ALYSIY pus rou Oe saa |x ecIRTACIRG allaFo UGS. ACDAC SIMBIM COSC! inside eels rest [ec | ===“ ===. ---=-"apjoy ,soutay| Gr “41 dooy : 0} MOY AOUY OA suOstod Suowmy saomodns MOF SUIT! *« | x [lx le | 8 | 3 | OL | Bum | Avi ‘ood |-q ‘gna } sy ca feu | --------- --- -gassny uapjox| gt “4VnoyjIA oq plvoys owoYy ‘ §ADAOT JINAJ OW FLY OVO JN 4MaAzZ Anazvue UY ATPONUS | ~---}----|o- Ty te | & | BS | OF | ssvie| dog “a ruck [ey [ts | nore --2-----pe doy uapaeyl pr ‘ayuyS oy Jo suory.od aepIO oy] ur uoly -vyndoa Sursop ynq fatoyAMAtoao Ivpndod Atoa A[TOWMOT | x | x [fx le | 3] & | O feta [90M 9OO [Bra [Sl PF LUT | mone ee eee e eee asnoureg| of ‘yorto puv qvos 03 Aouep ; U0} VSI JNJ JOIYO syT ‘“Wosvas Syl Ur stuNbo MozJSvM| x» | x |e lela | 2 | 8./ 6 [wv [ood “AON [Bea [AB [Pe |p | cocoon ooo ----middtg [al er “YOK MON tH ULOjSvd UT sv OUy SY A[TVNSN Jou—TNJssooons ATQVIBA}—---] y forte la | & | 9 | OL [A CN] Ady ‘ood |-q “1k |-o "[ | -o+2*> Sanquozqidg sudosq| #1 cy ‘WoIssaoous Ur Suruodrt ‘quay = AMOYS PUB JUdT[IOXS ynq [ews YT 90A9 TVJNVEG VI x | x |e le le | | T | 8 [RCN] ydog ‘Suy[-Bca [set [a *g | nore eee Saaq aneayg “peg er & “taMOAZ Lod oat, ‘sosodind t9y40 ; OS —«- AOF ONIWA O19FTT JO ‘SIIMAZ Jlossop ysouy ALIA OF JO OUD] » |e [x le le | T | 8 | 8 [A N|3dog ‘Suny}q “uth procp [ts | creer eee eee ----- aor Sqavg| er ro ‘atquqyyoad SABM [V ‘ Mm IN ‘oiddv pood qsoypavo oy “gimay Acvuypno poosV| ~ | x fx lx le | F | 8 | 9 [wy [suv Sea [14-8 fey ca four | --------------qs0aanpy Spaeg | I eliines a Suryood puv ylossop potoavp ySty AIOA “QuUoTTOOXO UW | ----]-mm-ly e Tye |G 8 g xu “AON dog|:S-a [4-3 |ra ‘uw | ----- [soy ommog 10 10£q] of =a “AqrpVnbH ut tood—poaaiy q1oys ; ; 's) gnq ‘{Moys yInag ‘9019 Apalvy ‘sNoLosStA “[TuZNvOG VI x x |x le le | 8 | OL | Z [suy |‘9dog Buys sag fepea feu | ----- Zanquopto Jo ssoyong| ¢ = ‘Sutuodrt JO wosvos ie) OY} Fatoq YouqMurp ysoyvorls sy fpoos puv [NJINVOT | ----] y Te le [x | 9 i g I°X ‘N1200 ‘ydog |B cA 2'0 |'T ---=-- fqtoqaruayg oSuruoyo| g (e) = “Vso. MqQOS b=] Oud 9B 4soq ‘savoqtaao uagzo SAqiyend url yuoTTooOXG | ---"| y |x lx le | i L |-awg |-Buv ~ |B ey *gea deur | -------- ‘UNE poy vurpoarrg] p re) ‘todvaq Aplvy y ‘SuOLOSTA SH f10A oorg, ‘oidde Suryooo ‘K[yysds ‘Amoys ATA Vi ----| gfx fe fa | 2 | OL | ¢ [Bag fave aon [Sea feed [ep [ocr uddrg wroquorg| 9 oS ‘orquy youd AT [UR 5, “NSN JOU yng “NJPNVOq sour PUL JSOUY ALOA OT FO OUD! & |e fa la fx | F | @ | OT |uuoa| ‘dog ‘ood |"d nek frou [ep | cteer ene ee eee eee ee yuowyog|¢ “topudy Ss AUILMOWOS VOTT, ..°9OL1997IG,, WTA pojgooye ATQUONDOTAT] ~ | xx Jaxlaxfax! 6 | OL | & ['ssvie| vy ood [sca [At fot | y oo ne -n-- 22 ------ ---- UIA ped] F > ‘ajddv qooas ‘Suryuq ‘rogupa. Arvo ysoq ou ATavqotad| x | » Je le le | & 19 | F [RCN om ‘son [Sa psa [roca |p | oomoo------ 00g s,s0TI¥g| ¢ 4 “HOIUe yu e a LOU FO AUITOM—UALOAS A[[eIOUNS gou 4ynq“guoTTOORM |---|. [coke le (1°99 | 9 |, lmy |son 900 [ca [408 [oy cw leum | --ocs- 72 yeas uUNgny]} z N *‘pozistapun puv Aqqvos soutTyOWOS FINA, PUL “TOMOIS MOTS BOOLT | --77I ~~“ la ly le a 6 iumy j{4dog “q "Tsk 4|°0 ‘we | ~-ureuuive g rowing uvoowy ! T — Es (FoR (cae al RE | Laat [ae = bsxrniviwadt REI sSANVN ‘ ‘OL O&% [ aIVvOS ee *ALIVOO'T *AQIV A *NOILATUOSA(L aNXv asp G2 a) ‘CU GQ NUWNWOOUTH NOLLVOIISSVIO TO GONLAN CHL tO DIdNVS 33 7 CETING, 18 ER MI A _— = < ‘onSoleywVo oy} FO suoratod poyvpnq ey oy} UT passordxo od JouUUvO YOITA ynq Guejzroduryl yysnoy} og AvU sv syMoUIA}vI9 TONS 07 paqiwt agsinoo jo oq ‘poqdopy gr ‘prnoys AeyL ‘ureyuoo AvU AY] SJUOULAZRYS BY) 07 SUOTJOO[GO o]qissod Fo JUNO TO WISTOTFTIO OF peqyoofqng oq jou [TM uvid Te190Ue: OI IVY} JSNIQ aloFoatoYyI AAA “AOTZOOATP S1y} Ut urd pesodoad ayy Jo odoos ojqissod ayy SurMoys Jo esodand oy toy papuodde A[Msvy o1¥v SyavMod osou LT, } ‘ramod Sutronpoad Lauow Jo wo qotd yy OFUT Toguo Wwyy “YInaz 10 99.1] FO LOYZOU AM ‘sorgt[eub oyy [TB 0} pATyy oy} pue {patopisuo0o Ajaqvrudas ‘4inay ay} JO Sartpeub oy} 07 ATUIvM OOTOAOJoL SUTAVY OMG YSIY OUT fpouru sosodind oy} Jo Youa IoF aujwVA Jo SUOTJVpVlS OY} ssatdxe OT 09 T Woy Susur siaqunu dy) ,, AU[BA PUB OSH, papway SUATNTOS daIyy oy UL “PNAF ayy Jo Aqpenb ayy 07 ATJOLIS OOUdLoJor SULABY—‘4saq “q pus ‘pooS Arad oS *A S$ poos si 3 ‘ApOND Jo pvoy oyg dopugQ “‘gossna “su Spodiiys “s fueets oS Spat 4 SMOT[OA LOZ gud st Kk $0700 ZSatssocdxs yeVyy ul “poauoyyvy 10 Vy & 7 {]Bo1aoo “0 ‘Zuo0[qo “oO ‘punos squosoddor t ‘Wwof OJ UNOS 9yy UL “[]VUS “*s puB ‘UNTpoUt “ur fa8ayy syuosordod ‘| ‘azis Sutssoidx9 WUIN[Od 94 UT ‘auso[vzvo SuloFoa10F YY Sursurvare uy x NN *s[1OS YOU WABAL UT Q1N}[NO pooS savy plnoys fssoudaTyoupoad Wve ooun 10) | maeel eA RAE NPA 6 | 9 |‘ N |-reRN coed [a 'a [4-3 [0 ‘LT | crcccr LO MOPTIOG AOTION | 6F ‘asn ATI “wy Ioy solddy oy UPM prur JO ysaq puv 4sopTO 9 JO oUO] x & Vek e Nae od % |g jtuuop|‘qoq ‘AON |'q 1° [coca [ut | ~rayaanz-ou-Yoos ployyseM | SF W108 OIQUNTBA ¥B OAOAd [ITM Spouuyy [TOM JI ‘sseoxo 0} sivoq—Adosanu UL 9049 SU0s VW] x * |e |e |x | 9 9 8 |‘'X ‘N]‘TeW°00d |°q i Ce bi 0h 6 1 fs| FOCI ee OO On eel Wg 2 ‘atquyyord— aoys puy oSavp qmayz fo0a9 aatgoupoad ‘snodos1a Aprvy VW] x x |x lx lx | 6 8 -- Jrattog| ‘00d “AON |°3 cle ccleeat reels Sif S76 -S oi oS SOUT GM UO TOF ‘addy Suryeq 104urM Ivpndod ysow oy ‘aAtonpoad puv Aptey ‘Su0djs vol} x x |x |e lx | F L Soler wal MEG OOM aisle | Acct | oe ats SUL | Sasa aaa a --"goOMS ULW[V]| CF “Aqtpeub ysoysty oy JO BINA OY ING §oostodut uaqjo yMAF puv ‘“Tapuoy ooIT |---| * | f* |x | T I OL |'A ‘N|APIN “90 |G ISSN So 1 AS-desern = eos LBC ACL ‘a[quy oy toy oz1s tadord OYJ JO JINAF SNOTT][Op PUB [NJINVOG YALA oot} [[vUIS V]} ee EAR RES atc z OL | wy j|‘sny “q PACE Re 2) " Qessny AINGXOY| OF “sy.UeUul -OL LOYJAVT OUINHII 07 UAOUY ATUVIOAVT PUY SUOT OOT, | x% | we |* |e |* | 6 Gales len nl sae OOGs ha tas | Ao cree eT ----Suludeiy) puvys] spoyy] 68 ‘ajddv yoyavut Surdoay Suoy vst passedansun {4jvi3 doy vse UMOIS OG ATWO p[NOYs] x x laklaxlax| OL | F OL EM (N]‘9UNL “Uvl | *q HUORS listay Gres (at) OSSSS See pie a BpBVuUueRyH pot] gE “MOS¥vIS SII UL pol [VAliun spuvys sty} oTddvyoyarvut VsE “INAF 10 aI} UT TOJOUM | xx | *e [Re] He) HK] 6 OL | & | ‘peng |‘snv 3 calc Asa | i2cU ‘T socee==-\c=- UB O ely sve DOs ILE ““OSBOS SII UL jenbo uv savy 07 pres oq ATPAvY Uvd ST IAOSSOp OY} TOT] "] * fx fe [* | L 9 OL [é°X'N]| ‘30V 5] “AB | "0 UCT | hcg rtd oe ==en===<"99 BUI A) 98 sIvjudod A194 OG 09 UOTY -Tyadm0o9 Youu 003 svy yuq fojddv pnzynveq pure ouy VW] + x |x lx le | @ | & 9 |‘sse}3das "Bi A ee | ate hea £0 ai Roane ee es ea 19910q | og 07BIS oYy JO SuolAod Ul Suraoai4) “J yo oortd on) oy Avy ‘otdde avjndod ATBurmors VW | x x |x lx |x | 8 i; 9g |*uuop|-aep ‘ood |S ca [AS [Ft | T Ses eS JUVSBITd §,Y99d | FE *payeVurwlaesstp 9[991[—- JI AO1Z OYA SOY) Suowy soiddv avpndod ysout oyy JO 9UD |---| * |x |x |* | 8 9 g |oryo}‘sed 400 |'B°a [tA [ct ‘I ek Gee” ae “jIo1vduoN O1fO! sg “--- AiO AON Zo ‘sotddv jalassap 104 “UIA ATIvO Suowy soj1odus vB oavy 07 pres oq ATpAVYy UVO |---| x |x |e fe | G | OL | OF |-A “N) 90d “AON | ‘q rae Kooga se Tansy SEO SO OH EN NG ‘Furyooos toy A[UTVUL OTGVUTBA —uvyouijsy poy doje o[ddv yoyavut A[Iv9 Surpwoay OUT | xx | ee jeelextaxe! OL | OL | G [LIN dag ‘Suny |°3 Saya icy Whe |bence clea oa S UST Sao PLEIN | OF “qruty qoyivut Taqwojydog oqeygord ‘otqvies faatyonpoid VW] x x |x lx |x 16 L ¢ |‘wy |4dos SS pele |ekeo dun |(c Okla oT BIC = IO I EOLA UIliCst 4 ‘aATJonpoad A19A JOU —iapud} ea1y, ‘opdde yoaMs o[qvaisop A[[vat ySIy OUT | x x |x |x le |S 9 ¢ |'ury |‘3snvy FOUN TONN Crt 2| 10) 1 -------ySnog MO[[OA VS1VT| oz sradaoy tojtodns y “41uay Saryeq ouy ae Vil x * |x |x le |S 9 @ |*K N|-xew ‘ood |°3 ca [tA oat oT senresn==-=----799 MG GS APR] 1g ‘Ay peq sdo.p ‘? honest fruit packing is the exception instead of the rule. WINTER MEETING, 1877. 37 2d. Always use packages of full size if possible to obtain them, and fill as full as they will bear. 3d. Sort and pack your fruit as you would if the purchaser stood by to see it done. Honesty requires that all these shall be strictly attended to. In seasons when the supply is not equal to the demand, there is no difficulty in obtaining good prices; but when there is more than the market requires (like the apple crop of the last season), then the solving of the problem of a profitable market becomes difficult, and requires not only sound judgment, but a good stock of general information respecting the extent of the crop in the whole country as well as the probable demand, and that depends very much on the ability of the people to pay for what they want. Our apple crop the past season was probably the largest that the country has ever produced, but I presume not very profitable. Thousands of barrels have probably been sent to market at a total loss. This ought not to have been and was caused I think by pursuing a wrong method in marketing, or rather market- ing haphazard, without any method. “It is an easy matter to tell what ought not to be done,”’ says the Inquirer, “but a very different thing to point out a remedy for ruinous prices when we haye such an enormous crop as that of last season. ‘Tell us what to do under such circumstances.’”’ Very well, I will give you my views. very one knew that the supply was greater than the market required. PROPOSED REMEDY. 1st. Suppose the farmers had only put one-half their fruit on the market, then there would have been no oyerstock and apples would probably have brought a fair price, say $1.50 to $2.50 per barrel. 2d. Suppose the one-half that was put on the market had been the choicest selection from the whole crop, would they not have been at least fifty cents per barrel more than the average all together? I think there is no doubt of it. If these estimates of probabilities rest on a fair basis, the result would be about as follows: Ist. By withholding one-half our crop from market we have gained fifty cents per barrel in price, on account of the supply being only equal to the demand. 2d. We have also gained an additional fifty cents on account of the extra quality, by selecting the choicest. Will this pay? Let us see: Economy in methods of marketing shows the best results in net cash. In order to arrive at that we must come right down to the cost in dollars and cents. ‘That will be found about as follows: Barrels for packing apples, good ones, about 35 cents; picking, packing, and delivering at depot, 15 cents; freight, drayage, etc., average 35 cents; commission 20 cents, 60 cents. This would make the expense per barrel about $1.10. Has the whole crop sent to market averaged over $1.25 per barrel? If that is a fair average, the cost being $1.10, leaves 15 cents net to the farmer for apples and profit. Has the one million barrels, more or Jess, sent to market from this State averaged higher than that? I fear not, but I wish to be sure to get them as high as any one can claim with any propriety, say $1.35, quite up to the highest quotations in Detroit at the present time, which is surely too high for a fair average in this case. We will accept it, however, as the basis of our estimates 38 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. the result would then be as follows: Sold at $1.35, cost $1.10, leaving for apples and profit 25 cents per barrel. Now let us apply the proposed remedy for these unremunerative prices. Ist. We propose withholding one- half the crop from the market, so as not to break it down, and thereby gain fifty cents per barrel in price, but possibly we shall gain only half that, say $1.60, cost $1.10, net 50 cents per barrel. We should probably gain the 50 cents claimed, that would be $1.75, cost $1.10, net 75 cents per barrel. 2d. We propose to select the fruit, take one-half only, and that the very choicest, and this we believe would add at least fifty cents per barrel to the yalue on account of the extra quality. This fifty cents added would make the price $2.35, cost $1.10, net $1.25. Is the estimated gain from the causes assigned too large? I hardly think they will be considered so. Summary, $1.35 average price, net 25 cents; one- half only on market, $1.85, 75 cents; one-half only of those extra, $2.35, net $1.25. Iam sure that some will probably consider these estimates visionary and the results claimed fallacious, for no one can fully appreciate the real dif- ference in sorting and packing fruit, unless he has studied the subject thor- oughly and observed closely for a long time. Here lies buried the great secret of success. Men have sought for it patiently and perseveringly by studying how to grow more fruit and in other ways, but they have only partially succeeded, because they have overlooked the impor- tance of one of the greatest essentials of success, the proportion of expenses as compared with the net receipts. Men can appreciate the per cent in inter- est but they ignore it in fruit selling. As I am anxious that this part of my subject shall be thoroughly understood, I will try to make it clear by an illustration. We averaged the sale of our apple crop at $1.35, cost $1.10, net 25 cents. The expense was over 80 per cent of the sales, and the net less than 20 per cent. ‘The apples sold for $2.35, cost $1.10, left $1.25 net, the expenses being only about 47 per cent and the net 53 percent. The first sales required 5 barrels to net $1.25, the second sale required 1 barrel to net $1.25. First sale, gross receipts, $6.75; second sale, gross receipts, $2.36, only a fraction over one-third of gross receipts of first sale. L2t us now close up our apple account. As they were sold they brought 25c. net, but as we proposed to sell only half we must count the price of two barrels in the first sales against one in the latter case. ‘I'wo bbls. at 2c per bbl. net—50 cents; and one bbl. at $1.25 net, a gain of 75 cents, gives a clear profit of 150 per cent, and one half the crop still on hand. Let us now dis- pose of that. If the best results are to be realized by fruit growers, every neighborhood engaged in the business needs a good drier. Last fall ‘apples were dried on shares, the farmer receiving one-half the dried fruit, which pays 15 to 30 cents per bushel. I saw an article a short time ago of one company that had bought for drying 25,000 bushels, and I think the price paid was 25 cents per bushel. Suppose this half of our crop which we are now considering had brought us 20 cents per bushel, and they were certainly worth that for “drying, it would add about 60 cents per bbl. to our pric2 already realized, making» our net re- ceipts $1.76 per bbl. instead of $1.25 as heretofore reckoned. As the crop is now disposed of let us strike the balance. WINTER MEETING, 1877. 39 One bol soldier elyco Nets ecb. Aue ae e eee lk Slee $1 25 Oneibbiganedeacmodeanete Gos sec enone. See a ee eae 60 $1 85 Gocianmnwerbartels ae roe ORC. ao ssids econ ees See Saker c cee sce 50 Neweamwelesar protit,,250) por cent... 224252 sete ss oe $1 35. I have confined myself thus far to the consideration of the apple crop, as that is the leading fruit crop of our State, but the principle that I am advo- cating, reducing the proportionate expense of marketing, applies to all sorts of fruits, and the comparative advantages that may be realized are even greater in some other kinds of fruits. Ihave not the time, neither is it necessary to go over the whole or even a large number of the different kinds, for the same principle applies to all; I shall, therefore, content myself by applying it in only one other case. The enhanced value of fruit as effected by thorough packing and sorting applies with peculiar force to my special favorite THE PEACH. Let us come right down to dollars and cents: Cost and Profit of Peaches. CENTS. askxct, top, and tarletan; peribasket..2 2c. .)$2-2c4-dooesuledse- leeks Ov Riennc /sorting,, packing: and deliveringe!s. 222 2.b-422es.e258l 2.224 10 Bercy wravage, Cb, «averages |. (224 atte Sa Bo wil a. oe Se ee 124 Motal.exclusive of fruit and commission ..<. 45. 24222-24252 222.00- 30 fruit Sold. PER CENT. At 40c, with commission 4c, basket, etc., 30c, nets 6c. Pucs0C, WIth expenses SoC, NeLS, LOC, PAIN Of. ose ee Sek oe eee 250 micue, with expenses d6c, nets 24¢) pain of ._...-<.2 52-5 .0502-----o5.- 400 ALOE, WiLl: CXPenses-3 1G, MEUS\ SC, GAM OL =. 2 oe cis oo ee 550 ALG SOG.. With expenses asc, nets 42c,gain Of... = sae esac ie es oe 700 later bs Wibh. expenses: 40C, Mets O0C, PAIN Ob pak se ys ok ok epee 1000 These are facts! Do the fruit men fully realize their significance? I fear not. I believe a majority of the farmers that grow peaches for market often lose from two to 500 per cent in net results simply for lack of knowledge, care, and honesty in putting up their fruit. Why do I believe it? As this part of my subject is the pivot, Vl tell you, even at the risk of being considered tedious or egotistical. In matters of this kind, many people want definite statements, instead of general principles, so that they can compare actual results. During the past season I determined to pack my peaches just as well as it was possible to do it, and to grade them carefully, and this was the result. My extra peaches of all varieties sold in Chicago at from $1.00 to $1.25 per basket, when the highest quotations for fancy would only be from 75 to 90c. I have 40 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. stood in that market and seen peaches sold at 60 to 70 cents, and others very little if any better, sell at $1.00; now why is this? The former were put up in poor rough baskets,—some say it makes no difference about the basket being full, consequently rolling and getting bruised,—while the $1.00 peaches were in smooth, neat, clean, full packages. Those 60 cent peaches netted about 24 cents, and the $1.00 peaches about 60 cents. So that one basket at $1.00 netted as much as 24 baskets at 60 cents. The difference in cash was about as follows: CENTS. ood basket more than poorss-. 2: 22s. -5 oe oe ee eee 13 Waditional peaches to fill the basket full”. .22- 2-22 o Seas 5 Aaiitional, time to pack them: Wice.+:-'. 2... wees =e eee ee ee 1} Additional commission for selling at'$1:00__-.--..<-.2-- neces oe 4 NWnoloradditional Cost. - 2-225 522 -- s2 = oo see ee oe a 12 AMMinionar AMOUnL SOldetoOr <3. 0220) oo een oat oe eee 40 POS PUCUMGIEdE Sea cee ee Sto ee eLe Be oe ne 12 ion D ain see etree Soon Se Ree ee ee eh ee eee 28 RGreuil, Per Cones. 2 Pas faces eee oe eae ee eo ene eee 116 It may be claimed that this is an extreme case. I admit it; but it is never- theless fairly stated and not exaggerated in the least. The 60-cent peaches referred to were put up by a farmer of my acquaintance, the fruit was honestly sorted, but the baskets were not filled, and in fact there is not one basket in ten put up by that class of growers that is properly filled. The simple matter of filling the baskets properly would add to the selling price from 10 to 25 cents. After the foregoing illustrations of the net receipts from the different qualities of fruit, it will surprise no one when I claim that we raise too much fruit from a given number of trees. A fruit tree that is allowed to overbear is injured, and the fruit is of inferior size, flavor and general appearance. When a tree is overloaded more net money may be realized by picking off half or three-quar- ters, or even more, when the fruit is small, thereby making the balance extra fine, than by allowing the whole crop to mature. And that is not all, your tree will be in much better condition for future usefulness. There is a great deal said about raising more fruit; but I believe our interest lies more in the improvement of quality than the increase in quantity. It is an admitted fact that our fruit enemies are rapidly increasing, especially of the apples, and under our present mismanagement, we have no right to expect any other result. About one-half of our apple crop is now ruined annually, and only a few years longer will be required to haye the whole crop in the same condition if we pursue the same course in the future as in the past. To meet it is a matter of deep regret to see men enlarging their orchards when they do not take care of what they have; it simply increases their power of doing harm to the community by increasing their establishments for breed- ing all kinds of noxious insects. Ev ery orchard that is not properly cared for is an injury to successful fruit growing. My principle hope of a remed y for these evils lies in the direction of improved instead of enlar ged crops as a means of making fruit growing a success. This has been kept well in view as far as improved varieties are concerned ; but WINTER MEETING, 1877. 4] in the direction in which I am now laboring it has thus far failed to attract much attention. In view of the rapid increase of our old enemies, and the advent of many new oues, our prospects are not as bright as we could wish, but we have one thing to encourage us in our warfare. We have a skillful General in the field, who has been a spy in the camp of our enemies for years. He has examined and studied their fortifications, has become acquainted with their habits, and discovered their weak points, and has placed us in a position that assures us of a complete victory, if we only advance in solid column to the attack, and not wayer in pushing our advantages until the victory is complete. Those that are not fully posted as to the “order of the day,’’ or methods of attack, can obtain further information by attending the meetings of our State Pomological Society, where our General may usually be found explaining our enemies’ weak points and the best methods of attack, or they can address him at the Agricul- tural College, Lansing, Mich. His name—Prof. A. J. Cook. Perhaps it may be thought strange that I say little or nothing about the dif- ferent methods of packing fruit and their comparative advantages. This is of little consequence in comparison with the importance of the principle that Iam trying to make clear. In the first place we have te convince people that a certain course will pay best, then they will give their attention to the ways and means. Tor this reason I have confined myself mostly to the practical means of reducing the per cent. of expenses in marketing. Some may think that I haye drawn the subject rather strong, but I have been very careful about that, for I know that I have understated many of my points. The best results claimed in the apple sales has 43 poe cent net to 47 expenses. I have sold ap- ples in Chicago that netted me 72 per cent to expenses 28. The best results claimed in peaches was 60 per cent net, to 40 per cent expenses. My book for last season shows 67 per cent net to 33 per cent of expenses in many sales. I consider it bad policy to overstate any case, though it is yery common where it is considered necessary to make a strong point; but I have as strong points as I wish, and I do not propose to weaken | my position by having any thing to take back. GENERAL HINTS. It will generally prove advantageous to sell your fruit at home when you can get a fair price, thereby saving freight, commission and risk. If you pack it yourself, put up nothing but eood fruit. Don’t send your poor ‘fruit to market, sell it at home, dry or can it, or feed it out rather than send it away. Poor fruiti Injures the market much more than the same amount of good, especially when there is a full supply. Remember particularly that every fruit tree set out and not properly cared for adds to your insect enemies, and increases the difficulty of raising good fruit. Don’t forget that we already haye too much poor fruit. I consider this subject of the utmost importance to the fruit growers of the whole country, and if my poor effort serves to attract the attention of those better able to do it justice, I shall feel amply repaid for my labor in this direction. Gentlemen, the world moves. Beauty and the love of the beautiful are ata premium. Beauty adds to the market value of quality and excellence. If fruit growers can be made to realize this in its full significance and act in accord- ance with its teachings, they will find their reward where they can count it. 6 42 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. After a very short discussion, in which Mr. Gulley said that Mr. Linderman’s experience was always put by himself very modestly, and with no exaggeration, the meeting was entertained by the following delightful address, delivered by Henry W. Lord of Pontiac, entitled EVERGREENS, THEIR USES FOR ORNAMENT AND ECONOMY ON THE FARM. In Eastern, ancient and desolate regions where there is no evergreen, but where an over wearying gray desert sand shimmers and tires the eye, the hot earth trembling beneath the scorching sun as if all the centuries that looked down from the pyramids had not yet reconciled those blistering plains to the eternal fires that descend upon them out of heayen—a colorless land where there are no brooks, no iakes or rivers, no grass, no vines, no trees; where some of God’s creatures, by act of special creation, are provided with extra water tanks in their stomachs, the only sources from which they may drink during long intervals of time. To the Oriental traveler whom sad disaster, following fast and following faster, has finally driven as a punishment for his restlessness to such a clime, that biblical figure in which Isaiah the prophet likens the refuge that sinful souls may find in the Prince of Peace, to ‘‘ the shadow of a great rock in a weary land,’’ has a graphic and startling significance that can never reach us here, wreathed as we are in flowers and fed with fruits. “Here fragrant herbs their odors shed; Here creeps the healing plant.” As removed from and contrasted with that land where the first act of hospi- tality is to offer the wayfarer, if you would entertain angels unawares, a vessel of water in which to cool his feet, here, ‘‘ with verdure clad,’’ our “ Sweet fields across the swelling flood Stand drest in living green, As to the Jews fair Canaan stood While Jordan rolled between.” These distant, desolate regions which really exist, and in which people of the human race actually live and rear sons and daughters, have prompted and aided the imaginations of poets and writers of fiction to portray in some of their immortal works other scenes of still greater desolation, and have planted them with trees that are imperishable and yet never green. Edgar A. Poe, in one of the saddest of his dismal songs, imagines a descent into nether regions, and, as Saint Paulsaid of a man he “knew—whether in the body or out of the ‘body he could not tell—who was caught up into Paradise, so Poe, whether in the body or out of the body, he could not tell, but he thought he was wandering side by side with Psyche, his soul: “Here, once, through an alley, Titanic, Of cypress, I roamed with my soul— Of cypress, with Psyche, my soul. The skies they were ashen and sober, The leaves they were crisped and sere; It was hard by the dim lake of Auber, Inthe misty mid-region of Wier, It was down by the dark tarn of ‘Auber, In the ghoul-haunted woodland of Wier.” WINTER MEETING, 1877. 43 But this is a subdued picture compared with Dante’s description of the first forest discovered in his pilgrim’s progress,—for you will remember that Dante’s Inferno is a Pilgrim’s Progress, something like Bunyan’s, excepting that the movement is in the opposite direction. When the pilgrims, Dante and Vir- gil, had passed the dreadful river Styx and the three-headed dog, Cerberus, und the infernal gates with the inscriptions, they—probably contrary to their expectations—found “That they had put themselves within a wood That was not marked by any path whatever, Not foliage green, but of a dusky color, Not branches smooth, but gnarled and intertangled, Not apple trees were "there, but thorns with poison; There do hideous harpies make their nests.” These trees were lost souls; they had been suicides on earth, and had been planted thus to undergo eternal punishment. Hyvery trunk, and branch, and leaf was a living member of what had been a human body. The harpies, un- clean birds, offensive beyond description, and themselves immortal, came to lodge in the branches and feed upon them; every brown leaf they plucked ex- torted a cry of pain from the tree; and from the brown branches brown blood was dripping. Everything was brown; the air was brown; the waves under Charon’s boat were brown; the waters of Lethe were brown—exceeding brown ; the inscription over the gates of Hades was brown; and all the cliffs in sight were brown. Lamentations were heard on all sides. The pilgrims thought they proceeded from living creatures concealed in the trunks of the trees, and they stood bewildered. “Therefore, the Master said, if thou break off Some little spray from any of those trees, The thoughts thou hast will wholly be made yain. Then stretched I forth my hand a little forward. And plucked a branchlet off from a great thorn; And the trunk cried: * Why dost thou mangle me ? ? ‘Why dost thou rend me? ‘Hast thou no spirit of pity whatsoever ? * Men once we were, and now are changed to trees; ‘Indeed, thy hand should be more pitiful ‘Even if souls of serpents we had been,’ So from splinter issued forth together Both words and blood; whereat “L let the tip Fall and stood like a man who is afraid.” While trees such as these make terrible the eternal prisons below, as poets have imagined them, so the poets also never fail to describe Paradise as abounding in trees whose foliage is perennial and ever green. And not entirely unlike the idea of Dante, who ‘has bad souls translated as trees such as I have referred to, is the idea of the sacred psalmist David, as to good souls, when speaking, perhaps, of children and of their removal to the heavenly world after life’s fitful fever here, says: ‘‘They shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon, and those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.” These celestial trees are ever green, and ever fruitful. A secular poet has described some under enchantment that ‘one day bloomed, and fruitful were the next ;’’ but these that flourish in the courts of our God stand upon either side of a pure river of the water of life, and are trees of life bearing twelve manner of fruit and yielding their fruit every month, and the leaves of these 44 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. trees are for the healing of the nations. I have seen in a very old Saxon poem a description of Paradise thus translated: ‘Serene is the glorious plain ; the sun- ny bower glitters; the woody grove joyously ; the fruit fall not; but the bright trees ever stand green as them God hath commanded. In winter as in sum- mer, the forest is alike hung with fruits; never fade the leaves in air, nor will flame them injure, even throughout ages, ere that an end of the world shall be. Not broken is the wood in aspect ; there a holy fragrance rests o’er the pleas- ant land, that shall not be changed forever, until shall end His wise work of yore, He who at first created it.”’ In these preliminary pages I have sought by several pictures and contrasts to suggest, rather than point out particularly, the interest we should take in the woods, and the care with which we should cherish and adorn our homes with God’s good gift of green trees. Here, in this middle clime, between torrid and frozen zones, we have for a large part of the year the earth under our feet carpeted with fresh and ever changing patterns of green, studded here and there with flowers of all sweet- ness of fragrance and variety of hues; while over us the apple orchards bloom with prismatic and rainbow tints. The sweet maple proclaims the spring, waving in advance its crimson and scarlet boughs, so that the great forest may appear in line like an army with banners. The giant oaks, each a wood in itself, spread far-reaching arms across the highway, where the considerate woodman has been good enough to spare the tree, while in the deeper forests in summer days, over bridle-paths and lovers’ lanes where young mated pairs so love to linger hand in hand, “The woods droop darkly, as inclined to rest, And the blue sky spreads round them like a lake Where Piety her thirst for peace might slake.” In the villages and cities of Michigan, and indeed pretty generally through- out those of most of our States, there seems to be a love of trees for shade and ornamental purposes. Many of our beautiful towns appear almost embowered in them, so that, in some of the oldest, the streets for long distances are quite canopied over, presenting pictures of enchantment,—especially when the autumnal tints wreath them in all gorgeous coloring at the fruitful culmination of the year. Soon these bright vestures are laid aside, and the brown winter takes sombre and sudden possession of the earth. Then the evergreens that have so modestly appeared as but cool shadows during the summer, seem to spring up from the cold ground like pyramids of light,—graceful in outline, with trailing skirts like women’s robes, with aromatic breath and ‘‘a voice ever soft, gentle and low,’’ which also, says Shakespeare, is ‘‘an excellent thing in woman. Within the last twenty-five years evergreens have ereatly multiplied, during which time many new varieties have been introduced ; nurserymen have learned to propagate them cheaply, and in such a manner that they may be trans- planted with certainty; so that they are within the reach ‘of all who have grounds on which to plant them, and with taste and judgment to appreciate their beauty and usefulness. Now we cannot travel far through the country without finding here and there fine displays of them adorning ‘and sheltering the homesteads of the farm, as well as the urban and suburban dwellings of other citizens. Joys forever, as things of beauty, they challenge and deserve admiration. The useful offices that they have the qualifications for, and stand WINTER MEETING, 1877. 45 ready to fill, cannot be too carefully considered by the farmer especially, or neglected without great loss, both as to matters of taste and material advantage. Some ten years ago the writer purchased of a nurseryman at Detroit 1,000 little white cedars, the ardor vite, one of the most graceful of our native evergreens, whether for single trees, or groups or hedges. The little plants were one year old from the ‘seed, about four to six inches high, and cost one and one-half cents each, or $15 per thousand. Besides planting many of these in groups or singly, about the house and grounds, a sufficient number were used to make a hedge or screen on the westerly and northerly side of a large garden, which bad been very much exposed to the sweep of blasting winds, sometimes to the destruction of nearly all the early plants it contained. These cedars, set out some two or three feet apart, all grew luxuriantly, and they now form a living wall about twelve feet high, as impervious to the winds as a brick or stone wall of equal height, affording a most complete protection for the garden, and more than doubling its value for the purposes of its use. Delicate plants that one blast of cold wind on a May morning would chill and destroy, now, no matter how bleak the gusty day, seem to nestle in the warm sunshine unconscious of harm. ‘This is simply mentioned for illustration; we shall have occasion to refer to this kind of shelter again, This is a cheaply obtained refuge that one may profit by, and an inexpensive ornamention in which one may indulge. When rough wintry tempests seem ‘to shake the ear th, when you hear them howl about your window panes, driving drear December rains clear through them, when your fires burn briskly but ‘do not seem to warm your house, then may you reflect that had you a few years before planted your grounds thickly with a variety of evergreens in the direction whence come the prevailing storms, the trees would now oyertop your dwelling and afford you a hiding place from the wind. In this too I have had experience. More than twenty ears ago my residence was on an elevated plot of ground, that seemed to be in the special pathway of all the most enterprising winds as they came careering across the lakes. Some- times a mile or two of fence on the farm would go down in a single night, and on one occasion especially, a neighbor’s house “built of brick had its whole western gable end blown in, making its way without ceremony through inter- yening floors to the basement. Some years before, | had planted a score or two of evergreens in the most exposed direction. The little trees sprang up adding to their arms and strength year by year, until they were able to defy and resist the blasts, causing them to divide their columns or move on higher levels. The farmer cannot do better for his dwelling, for his stock-yards, for his orchards and his crops than to provide a hiding place from the winds. A hid- ing place from the wind is associated in scripture with the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, to which I have referred. If to the northward and westward of each farm’s barns and cattle yards, a belt of evergreens were planted, they would in ten years form as complete a protec- tion as a stone wall fifteen feet high, and be very much better in every way, affording a hiding place from the winds, which mild-eyed and sweet-breathed cows and oxen, and gentle sheep would regard as a special providence, and for which they would repay their owners many fold. Belts of evergreens planted on the exposed sides of orchards afford such a 46 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. hiding place from the winds, that trees so protected have been observed to be fruitful when others in bleak situations have utterly failed. I have been expected to speak, perhaps, mainly of evergreens for ornamental and decorative purposes; but I was also desired to speak of them for screens and hedging. This is an eminently practicable field. Evergreens are worth- less for “hedging, if by hedging is meant fencing, such as will turn cattle. Indeed they are ‘of all others a kind of tree that cattle must not be allowed to approach ; as a cow upon whose head uneasy rests her crown, will destroy a fine — evergreen of more value than herself, in a very few moments, making a distaff of her horns she will spin a web of broken foliage about her, evidently taking great pleasure in the performance, proclaiming her triumph with cheers of un- earthly sound, and sublime waving of tail pointed toward the zenith. As hedges and screens, not to fence out cattle, but to fence ont destroying winds, the yalue of the evergreen in this climate is almost beyond computation. Several times within the last twenty years, I have in the leading public prints endeayored to draw the attention of farmers to this important truth. The winds are of great consequence, we could not live a year without them ; they not only purify the atmosphere, removing ‘‘all the infections that the sun sucks up from bogs, fens, flats,’? but they alone moye, if they do not even make the clouds. They pump upthe sea, and pour it out over the mountains, and the mountains and hills thus provided form brooks and rivers to refresh the plains. The winds blow where they list, as it appears, but they are after all enlisted under a great Commander, and they move subject to orders that are neyer countermanded. They carry burdens as they cross continents, that would ten thousand times over sink all the ships that sail, and crush all the beasts of burden that ever lived. But for the winds, the Mississippi and the Amazon would have had no water, and the Oregon would never haye heard the sound of its own dashings. Like other armies, howeyer just the cause, the winds in their raids across the country do great damage; and when we hear, especially in the very early spring, the marches of their homeless feet, beating upon the unsheltered fields, we know that the farmer’s wheat is being trodden out, and that a heavier tax is being levied on his crops than any foraging party from an enemy’s camp would be able to enforce in a single foray. Against this invasion the evergreens may be marshalled, dressed on parade, and formed in line, so as to impose an invincible array. Not one of you farm- mers present, not even one of your wives or daughters, has failed to observe in the spring of the year when there is always more or less mourning over winter killed wheat, that even the poor protection of an open rail fence is sufficient to make a good crop for the width of two or three rods next to it, while nearly all the rest of the field is gone. It is equally noticeable that a belt of timber to the westward of an enclosure will afford complete protection to a forty acre field of growing wheat. The loss to Michigan farmers by the winter-killing of wheat and clover is enough in the average length of a working life to make a little fortune for each if it could be saved. Michigan raised in 1874, 15,500,000 bushels of wheat and 1,154,000 tons of hay. Now if the damage by winter- killing, taking one year with another, is equal to one-fifth part of the crop, and I believe it to be much more, then the loss of money annually is, estimating wheat at $1.00 per bushel, and hay at $7.00 per ton, $4,687,600 to the agriculturists of the State. WINTER MEETING, 1877. 47 If in the place of our fences all the roadsides and the dividing lines between all fields, or division of ownership were lined with rows of evergreens 20 to 50 feet high, it is probable that we should hear no more of winter- killed wheat, or very little. The expense would be small in the first instance compared with fencing; ten evergreens to the rod would be sufficient, and would cost fifteen cents, ‘the labor of planting about as much more. But how about the cattle? Well, that is a question of considerable magni- tude. It is our opinion that they should never be allowed to leave the enclos- ures provided for them about the barns and sheds. It is not likely that many here will live to see the day, yet we believe it to be not far distant, when there will be no fences in Michigan except those provided to keep animals away from the fields, rather than to confine them in then. Farmers themselves, severely as they feel the weight of their expenses for fences, are, as a rule, unaware of the enormous burden of them, and how much it costs to perpetuate the incum- brance. I haye taken some pains to ascertain the weight of this load, as it rests upon a single township, which may be Troy, or Farmington, or Oxford, or any other, so that it is in an old settled part of the State, and is six miles square, with its thirty-six sections of land. In such a township there are 23,040 acres, which is divided into 288. lots of 80 acres each. If we suppose one-half of these lots are under fence, that is 144 of them, which is I think much below the real number, and if these are cross- fenced into twenty acre lots, which also includes the idea of much less fencing than is actually used, then we find that at $1.25 per rod for board fence it will cost $900 for each eighty acre lot. Iam, of course supposing that the original rail fences are going out, as is the case in the older towns, and the board fences mustreplace them. The 144 lots thus fenced will cost at $900 each, $129,600.00. ‘The imterest.on this money at 7 per cent, 1s.-..... --..-=--+--.-- $9,072 00 Peps annually as meh More 240222. --2- 2 on. 35s ese ene Lar: 9,072 00 Fencing will not last more than 20 years, therefore add 1-20th MMV LON WCAL Ao 2% oc. Sac abe ajo tare toh tee) 6,480 00 MEAS eho /COSt PEIN years: 24 Sj24 ce. 2. se eee $24,624 00 Now as the only use of these fences is to restrain cattle, let us see how many cattle the farmer will have to keep at a profit of ten per cent. above all cost in money, labor, and feed to meet this expense. We find that the annual cost of his fences in the one township supposed, $24,624.00, is ten per cent upon $246, - 240.00 worth of stock, this would make it necessary to have iporborsosnat $100.00eaCm a2.) .222 222s es Petes ce se See $100.000 00 PPRMUMNCUAC) dicho mCACMW An asses a ee eee tL ee 100,000 00 Pomseetaicepiabiporeacn: J.6 Los. fiypll 2 se The ee 46,240 00 $246,249 00 Seven horses, 28 cattle and 107 sheep to each eighty acre lot, a clear profit of ten per cent. on which must be made to pay for the fences alone each year. If it shall be said that farmers do not raise stock for so small a profit as ten per cent. clear, it may be also said that sometimes they don’t get as much, and that it is also true that I have given them credit for much more stock than they 48 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY keep. After making the above calculation I was at the trouble to ascertain just how much they do keep, and I find that in 1874 the town of Troy, one of the wealthiest in the county, had 786 horses oyer one year old, 1,364 cattle, 5,163 sheep, or about two-thirds the number of horses in the above estimate; about one-third the number of cattle, and one-third the number of sheep, while the average of the county of Oakland is about one-half the number of horses, one- third the number of sheep, and one-fourth the number of cattle. So that if the farmer works according to the census, he has to make, even in Troy, thirty per cent clear on his stock to pay for his fences, and in this county on the ayerage more than fifty per cent. When these truths shall be thoroughly appreciated, and the further truth that every three acres will sustain as much stock in the yard as five acres will in the field, then farmers will begin to inquire if fences cannot be dispensed with, and when they shall realize how destructive to crops it is, to let the winds go wholly at large, then they will begin not only to decorate and adorn their homes and gardens with evergreens, but will extend them along the highways, and make landmarks of them between all their neighboring possessions and properties; then the lands will all be ornamental erounds and their gardens extended over the whole of the farm, and the Paradise lost will appear to have been in a measure regained. For ornamental purposes, on lawns, or near houses, evergreens should be planted in considerable variety, as in their different forms and tints of foliage they contrast with and show off each other; one kind adding beauty to anuther, massing their combined attractions to glorify the landscape. Their lower limbs and branches should sweep the ground always, and in pruning an upper branch should never be allowed to extend beyond a lower one, but rather be cut a little shorter, else the lower limb will inevitably begin to suffer for want of light and in time decay and fall off. A fine Norway spruce or dark Austrian pine or arbor vit, with its flowing branches like flowing robes spread out on the ground and gradually gathered in as they ascend until the topmost spray sways in the air alone, like a pencil of waving light, is certainly an object of surpassing beauty. So is a graceful woman in full dress on the lawn beside the tree. For myself, [ like the latter the best; but cut away, as many do, the evergreen branches a few feet from the ground and cut off the lady’s skirts at the knee, and while both the tree and the woman will have something left of beauty aud interest, and will still be worth haying, yet they will not after that, either of them, represent the Graces. Care should be taken to place evergreens and other shade trees not only where you want them, but also where you would like to have them stand when they shall have had time to grow a few years. Many do not realize how large a space an evergreen or a maple twenty years old requires. For instance, I saw a few days ago in one of the interior cities of this State, two as fine specimens of Norway spruce as one often sees. Each occupied a circular space of about twenty-five feet in diameter. ‘They had been placed there probably when not more than three feet high (they are now about thirty feet high) in front of a cheaply built little cottage, standing back about twenty- five feet from the street. The result is that they occupy the whole space in front of the house; both the upper and the lower windows are completely walled up with them, and the front door, which opens between them, is entirely invisible from the gate, and almost inac- cessible. Now what is to be done? To cut away the lower branches so that WINTER MEETING, 1877. 49 the occupants could see out under those left would be worse than murder; besides, to relieve the chamber windows the upper branches would also haye to be cut off. To be sure the trees might be cut down altogether, but that would not do, because the trees are worth more than the house, and so beautiful are they that the property would sell for more money with the trees on it without the house than with the house on it without the trees. ‘There seems to be no way therefore except to remove the house. ‘ Farmers are not so likely to make such a mistake, because in the ample grounds about their houses there is less temptation to it, but there is no city or yillage of any size probably in the State, where you will not find more or less instances in some degree such as I have described. Large open spaces should be left immediately next the building; you don’t want your house shaded nor your windows shut out. You want pleasant shade near by, but not on your dwelling, it is unpleasant to have it, and it is unhealthy. In your affiliation as agriculturists you have chosen from old song and story some beautiful names to grace your organizations. You did not select them from among interesting characters in holy writ, though there are many among them that would haye been well adapted. There was Martha, whom with her sister Mary, Jesus loved, and loved to visit. Careful about many things, she would have been a good representative personage for the divinity that should preside over all the cares and comforts of the household and home. For a goddess of music there was Miriam or Deborah, whose grand anthems will echo through all the corridors of time. There was Ruth, algo, who presents one of the sweetest pictures among the sheaves, or on the threshing floor, that eyer poet imagined, She would have been admirabie for the goddess of all the haryest; but I suppose the real difficulty in selecting scriptural names resulted from the fact that a natural fitness of things would have made it necessary, if you resorted to biblical characters at all, that you should begin with our sweet mother Eve, most beautiful among all that have lived; but unfortunately Eve was not a pomological success, so you of the Grange had to resort to the beauti- ful heathen mythology of the Greeks, and adopted Pomona, the charming goddess of all the fruits, and Ceres, said by some to haye been the mother of all the earth, but generally regarded as the special protectress of the golden grain. Then from the same bright galaxy of immortals you selected Flora, fair goddess of the flowers. 1 believe this completes the celestial choir whose names I have seen invoked by the Grange or whose memory is cherished by the appointment of representatives of them from among the fair daughters of our rural associates and fellow laborers. Let me in all love and modesty propose that another illustrious name from the same ancient group of divinities be added to your allegorical deities—Svlvia, goddess of the trees and the wood, and to whom all sylvan scenes are dedicated and from her named. Let Silvia be announced and acknowledged with proper ceremonies, and as you shall become devoted to her, evergreens and other trees will adorn your dwellings and border and shelter all your fields. Permit me in closing this paper, which I fear has been rather a trespass upon your time, to express my admiration of that feature in the progress of the age, which has led those who live by the orchard and the Grange to organ- ize for the purpose of adding beauty and loveliness, as well as profit to agricul- tural pursuits. At the marriage feast of sturdy labor and sweet good taste, I a 50 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. bless the bans, and pray, after my poor fashion of reading prayers, ‘‘ that your sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that your daughters may be as corner stones polished after the similitude of a palace; that your garners may be full, affording all manner of store, that your sheep may bring forth thousands and tens of thousands ; that your oxen may be strong to labor, that there be no breaking in, nor going out, that there be no complaining among you; for happy i is that people “that is in such a case, yea happy is that people ‘whose God is the Lord.”’ Mr. Moody, of Lockport, a member of the Western New York Horticultural Society, made a few remarks upon the subject of the paper just given. Among other things he said that there was nothing that interested him more than the question of the employment of evergreens for embellishment and for screens. He believed we would see the day when our roads would be lined with ever- greens and our farms crossed by them. Pasturing in most localities, he thought, was beginning to be felt as poor economy, so that fences for barriers to cattle could be replaced by lines of evergreens, which would be a great pro- tection from the winds that sweep with such energy over our denuded country. He felt that as a matter of wise economy this must be adopted quite generally. He gave the example of his own farm, where he had planted rows of evergreens once in thirty rods, and was reaping the benefits already Mrs. A. E. Green, of Farmington, Oakland county, gave the next paper upon FLOWER GARDENING AS A HOME ACCOMPANIMENT. It may surprise some, that in the season of snow, we should speak of flowers. But the sweet blossoms which always seem to come fresh from the Creator’s hands are just as welcome to the lover of the beautiful in one season as another. Besides if we cannot have flowers in the garden, we can have flowers in the parlor. To make home cheerful indoors during the long winters of the north, there is nothing that compares with flowering plants. They are a constant delight. Each day brings out new leayes, and buds, and blossoms, and new forms of loveliness. With house-plants as with all other things, success is essential to enjoyment. There is pleasure in having plants as much as possible the work of our own skill, grown from seeds and cuttings, and trained by ourselves. We will endeavor to give a few suggestions that may be useful to some. We do not propose to instruct those who have greenhouses, but to give (as we have been solicited), our own experience. Plants, like ourselves, need air, light, warmth, food, and drink. Where good earth is used in potting plants they seldom need any other fertilizer. The best soil for plants is found in old meadows. A pile of sods laid up to rot make excellent potting earth. Nearly all plants will grow in earth from the woods, or very rich sandy soil, or even in sand with any good fertilizer and well watered. Azalias, begonias, cacti, calla lilies, camellias, fuchsias, dracenas, daphnes (kept wet), with geraniums, jessamines, justicias, myrtles, oxalis, oleanders, passifloras, these with Bengal and Tea roses, will make an ample variety for three or four windows, and ‘offer bloom the whole season. Plants should never be watered while the rays of the sun are pouring directly WINTER MEETING, 1877. 51 upon them. Administer tepid water copiously. Turn out all water which has soaked through and accumulated. Most plants are injured by standing in water. Hydrangeas, calla lilies, and lobelias are exceptions to this rule. Plants which are blossoming vigorously require more water than those that are not so healthy. One thing Mnust be borne in mind primarily: never pour cold water on roots or leayes of plants, Let it be warm enough to admit the hand, but never hot. Cold tea benefits plants if not used too frequently and cold. I think the most important point in plant growing is the watering. Some say never water a plant unless dry. This is shown by tapping the pot, —if dry it will sound hollow, then water thoroughly, a soaking or none at all. A copious supply of water, frequent syringing of the foliage, and a judicious airing will result in success. All plants kept in a room should be washed twice a month, and sometimes oftener, to insure a more healthy growth. Ivies are benefited by washing them, when the leaves get dusty, with a soft sponge. Another injury to plants is to leave on all dead or decayed leayes and blossoms. This should not be permitted, they should be removed as soon as they show symptoms of decay. It is commonly thought that coal gas injures plants; possibly there may be some truth in the supposition, but I ‘understand that it is used much in England where they have such marvels in indoor gardening. I think it is evidently a fact that it is not the gas alone, but the effect of the gas combined with the closeness of the room and the heat and unhealthy condition of the in- door atmosphere. Some of our bulbs, hyacinths for instance, grow under the snow and flower in early spring before the warm days of summer. To expect them to thrive in a temperature as dry and almost as hot as Sahara, and very much closer, is obviously unreasonable, aside from the gas question. The hyacinth and erocus, and most other bulbous roots, should be grown in rooms that are usually kept cool, but some other plants will stand more heat. Heat, light and ventilation are required for thrift. Bulbs planted in plates filled with sand and covered with moss, or planted in pots nearly filled with earth, do not require to be kept in the dark at first, though it will do them no harm. The bulbs being covered with the earth and moss are dark enough, and are in a natural condition for growing. The one essential of window gardening is sunlight. That secured, the rest is easy. A south window with ashade that can be raised or lowered at pleasure is best. Hardy bloomers such as fuchsias, tea roses, gera- niums, etc., do better in the house as a general thing than tropical ferns wiich are so temptingly beautiful in conservatories and perish so quickly out of them. A few foliage plants, also a coleus or two, myrtle? It isa common thing to put plants into too large pots. This has a bad effect. To be sure if the soil is good, and not over watered, the plant will grow rapidly, but it will produce leaves instead of flowers, and if it is over-watered the soil around the roots has the same effect as the stagnant water in the saucer. In repotting plants never give too large a shift. Plants should be repotted, when the roots around the outside of the mould look white, then the plant should be transferred to a pot one size larger. By persevering in this mode of treatment for some time, and never advancing more than one size at a time, the plant may be grown to a large size, and made to produce an abun- dance of flowers, while by suffering it to remain in a smaller pot, or changing it to a very large one, the stem will become weak and elongated, and the flowers will be few. Plants crave the air as much as our human lungs, it is vital to their growth, d2 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. but care must be taken never to raise a window upon your plants in cold weather, a draught of air is a great injury to them. I have treated at length of flowers as an indoor accompaniment. We have our flower gardens as an outside accompaniment, and flowers of an almost infinite variety. And is it not less wonderful that their regular succession equally dis- plays the wisdom and benevolence of the Creator? Had there been exact and unyarying uniformity in forms, color and fragrance of flowers, we should soon haye been tired of such dull monotonous uniformity. Should the summer only reproduce the flowers which adorn the spring, we should not only be weary of contemplating them, but we should be much inclined to neglect and not bestow that care upon them which their successful cultivation requires. If contrary to the analogy of nature, uniformity, fixed and unvarying, had been the law of the floral kingdom, it had not displayed such countless beauties, and reflected everywhere, the glory of divine perfection, in such dazzling radiance as it now does. In no country is the cultivation of flowers making such wonderful pro- gress as ours. Much can be done to make home happy and cheerful, all through the season, especially if our home yard furnishes an abundance of flowers for floral decorations. The first thing in home adornment connected with the flower garden (if it be properly drained) is laying out our grounds. ‘This, however, is only a mat- ter of taste. Much might be said, and many suggestions made on this subject, but for want of time I leave it. Next in importance, the soil must be good and well prepared for germination. The earth should be rich, mellow, and free from lumps. Different soil will produce different grades of the same family, for instance, dahlias that we put out last season in a clay subsoil covered with sand grew to be over seven feet tall, the stalks large, with an abundance of foliage. The flowers were small and long maturing, while tubers of the same were put into a gravelly loam grew two. feet, and were literally covered with blossoms that were large, compact, and models of perfection. Sow good seed, and those that will afford bloom the entire season. Our home garden is a plot of ground, clay subsoil, that had been plowed ten inches deep and seeded down, having a good turf. It was then covered eighteen inches with a clay subsoil scraped from a cellar, this covered with muck from low swamp land, and the whole covered with sand about six inches, and has an under drain, and on this we make almost every floral variety grow with scarcely any other fertilizer. Some think shrubs an injury to a home garden, but we spare the shrubs, they lend fragrance to the breeze and beauty to the g garden, and they afford shelter for the small plants from the scorching rays of the mid- summer sum. A few is all that is required: it would be folly to make a nur- sery of our flower garden. ‘There is no business or profession that requires more skill than growing choice seeds or cuttings. There is a constant tendency to degenerate. This should be guarded against. Single or poor flowers pro- duce the best seed. Scarcely are our winter frosts gone before the crocus puts forth its buds and blossoms. ‘Then follow in close succession the tulip, the hyacinth, and violet, with all their beauty and fragrance. Then our annuals, of which verbena, dianthus, abronia, etc., with the beautiful pansy are ex- amples. These last should be grown in the shade. Then phlox drummondi, positively unequaled by anything with which I am acquainted, yet compara- tively little known or appreciated. Generally showy plants are not delicate, but the phlox is both showy and delicate. It presents innumerable combinations of color, every shade as the groundwork of the petals, and every color and union WINTER MEETING, 1877. 53 of colors in the eye. For a brilliant effect it is unsurpassed. There are many varieties of flowers that are self sown, and germinate uninvited, that crop out in unexpected places with such cheerful courage that few have the hardihood to expel them, and they crowd out other yarieties. The aster genus is exceedingly numerous in species, comprising all the colors of the rainbow, and deriving its name from its radiating appearance. Its popularity is increasing, and for an autumn show it is almost unequaled. But we are apt to get enthusiastic over any special favorite and proclaim its wonders abroad. Of this family many species are enumerated. or variety may be sown lobelia, mignonnette, candy- tuft, and hosts of others too numerous to mention. Then avery common plant in most farm gardens, the stem erect and branching with lance ovate leayes, flowers solitary, red, white, and pink, and good for winter drying, is the globe amaranth. Then there are petunias of every variety, and those arrant truants the portulaccas, no sunny fence side being too hot for them, they glow there like bits of shattered rainbow. Althea rosea is too well known to need description. Its flowers are much admired by some, and it presents to the eye brilliant colors of every hue. So we might enumerate. We haye balsams and zinnias, all favorite exotics of the flower garden ; then perennials and biennials, with carnations and delphiniums, and in each flower there is something original, something to distinguish it from every other one, even of the same family. ach individual flower has its pecu- liar characteristics, and is adorned with a beauty and grace peculiarly its own. In a group of flowers there is a resemblance to show that they are one family, yet each one of whom is distinguished from the other by some peculiar charm. In all the floral kingdom we cannot find two flowers exactly alike in form and color. Let me, therefore, entreat you to encourage their culture as well as study their forms and beauty. Endeavor to surround your dwelling with twining vines or graceful climbing plants, remembering that there is no place so rude as not to be refined by their presence, and none so adorned as not to be graced by their beauty and fragrance. Mr. Thomas.—I am a very plain man, and perhaps most of you would not think from a gaze at my exterior that I am a passionate lover of flowers, but there is nothing in which I take greater delight, and from a long experience in farm life I can say that although I have given a great many hours to the culti- vation of flowers, the time thus spent has been by no means lost. I am no poorer for my flower garden. I am richer in all that makes my life worth liv- ing for. And when any man excuses himself from assisting his wife and children to arrange a flower garden, or borders of annuals in the lawn, because he has no time for such foolish things, I set him down as one who does not take any broad ground in matters of real economy. I look upon economy as some- thing that applies to more than a man’s pocket-book, it looks to the health and happiness of his family, and it is my conviction that there is nothing connected with farm life that has more elements of true economy in it than the plan of Spending time and thought among the flowers. Ido not mean that large amounts of money shall be expended for novelties, and varieties, but I refer to the plain common plants and flowers that cost little save care, and attention and affection, which give an abundance of bloom that can be transferred to the house to give life and beauty to the loneliest hours, and make home more attractive and pleasant. 54 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Early in the proceedings of this meeting in the appointment of committees one was selected to report upon ‘‘ other things’? than apples. This committee being ready to report, Mr. Whitney, chairman, read the following: Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen: Your committee on Other Things has given the various matters uuder this head due consideration, and would humbly beg leave to submit the following report, hoping that, while it is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive, it may serve to develop thought and investigation in this and many other things. We begin with FLOWERS. We find on exhibition a few fine specimens of the Primula sinensis, by John S. Crawford, of Pontiac. The specimens are well grown and unusually well flowered. The white all-white Chinese primrose is one of the best of all the primroses but unfortunately is high in value, because it can rarely be grown from seed, and with difficulty and “put slowly from cuttings. Many new varie- ties of this class are known to florists. One, the new John Saul, sells at $2 and upwards for fine plants. Small plants of the more common of the class command from $30 to $50 per hundred. The pink variety and many better ones are easily grown from seed when the needed care is given to planting, shading, watering, etc., but they may be bought at prices ranging from $10 to $20 per hundred. For winter blooming no plants succeed better than the various sorts of Primula. Your committee can only wish that they might have had more such ‘‘ other things’? to report upon. PEARS next claim a space in our report. Three varieties are upon exhibition. One plate of Vicar of Winkfield is shown by Mr, Drake, of Southfield. ‘This pear is a little past its prime, yet we could only wish they were more in number and size. ‘T'wo varieties, of one specimen each, of the Fox Seedling are upon exhibi- tion, brought by Mr. Adams from the Rochester meeting. These were grown by Barnard 8. Fox, of San Jose, California, who sent sixty-five varieties to the American Pomological Society, at the Chicago meeting, and were furnished by Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y. The largest pear is named the Barry, in honor of Patrick Barry, the eminent pomologist of Rochester, N. Y. Although far past its prime, and having g passed through the transpor- tations and exhibition, this pear gives evidence of good quality ‘and would com- mand a fair price anywhere, and if it proves a productive variety and can be acclimated and retain all its good qualities, we ought to hail its advent. The Wilder, named for Marshall P. Wilder, of the American Pomological Society, is of firm texture and is very sweet, and will make a good market variety. Further developments and trial will settle many questions in regard to these pears. TWO PLATES OF GRAPES are shown by L. C. Whiting, of East Saginaw. One sample is the Diana, and the other the Clinton, both fair samples, “that had been kept by putting them in astone crock and setting it in the ground beneath the frost. They were picked when perfectly dry, and packed in layers with dry, soft paper between. ai or WINTER MEETING, 1877. CANNED FRUITS. Fine specimens of cherries, whortleberries, strawberries, peaches, and maple syrup in cans are shown by Edwin Phelps, of Pontiac, and Mr. W. Beatty has canned raspberries, peaches, crab apples, all good of their kind. Fine speci- mens of dried fruit by the Williams process are shown, to which we only need invite your attention. CIDER. Fruit in liquid form—from previous pressing, and not a little worked in spite of efforts to the contrary, and shown and called cider by the label. But it was not such as we used, when boys, to draw through the lengthened tube whose first service was to hold up wheat and rye, nor such as we used to extract from beneath the bruised.skin of an apple. Now we think of it, it is unfortunate the cider is classed as ‘‘ other things,’’ as all your committee are G. T’.’s, and not J. T.’s, and so cannot appreciate the fine qualities and powers of the arti- cles on exhibition, but by a little strategy we have been able to judge that the quality of all these specimens is good,—each, perhaps, having particular friends, as, at every recess, the quantity of each has lessened, making friends cheerful and willing to aid us in making out this report; hence we say that C. W. Ben- jamin, of Pontiac, has a good article, with age, body, and high color. The Pontiac Cider-mill Company has an excellent specimen made by the cloth straining process, while A. N. Gable, of Pontiac, shows a good quality of cider wine. THE LAST AMONG OTHER THINGS on exhibition is a specimen of hen fruit. This puts your committee in fault. The exhibitor don’t say whether it is a vegetable or an animal product. If the fruit of the egg plant, of what variety; if animal, then with the present raging ‘‘hen- fever”? we should know whether of the ‘Asiatic, Polish, French, English, or game breeds; then we should need to look for the number of toes, the plumage upon the body and legs, examine the hackles, comb, grills, etc., but being without data upon this subject, your committee leave each person free to look up the matter for himself. CL: WHITNEY, A. G. GULLEY, WM. CALDWELL, Committee. The special committee to report resolutions upon the loss of certain members of the society by death, made the following report: WHEREAS, During the past year John Gilbert, of Ovid, Judge Monroe, of South Haven, William Bort, of es and Henry Seymour, of Grand Rapids, four prominent members of our society, have been removed by death, Resolved, That we hereby express our profound sorrow, and extend our heartfelt sympathy to the relatives of the deceased. Resolved, That our Secretary be instructed to forward a copy of these resolutions to the immediate relatives, together with a copy of our next annual report, contain- ing the following more extended notice written by our former Secretary, J. P. ‘Thompson. **[ was hoping to be present when the convention was bearing testimony to the virtues of our lately deceased venerable brother, Mr. John Gilbert, of Ovid, 56 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Clinton county. The announcement of his death did not surprise us. He was an old man full of years and of honors, and after a long life of usefulness he goes to his rest, leaving behind a long roll of friends who mourn his loss, while they admire his honorable course of life, illustrated as it was with so many of the virtues that dignify an upright manhood. He was one of the most honored members of our society, his kindly, genial face was always hailed with a hearty welcome at our fairs. No better fruit grower (especially of apples), was there anywhere. His exhibits were always beautiful, and always commanded the admiration of judges as well as of spectators at the fairs. I first met him at Grand Rapids in 1873, again in 1874, at East Saginaw, where his fruit was wonderfully fair, solid and showy. He was always pleasant, had a good~ kind word for us all, and his greeting was that of a father blessing his children. In 1874 I said to him, ‘ Mr. Gilbert, we hope to meet you again next year.’ ‘Ah, my friend,’ said he, ‘I doubt it, 1 am an old man. My days for fairs and shows are over. I think this is my last State Fair,’ and the tears started from the old man’s eyes, ‘but,’ said he, ‘friend ‘Thompson, don’t forget to send me the life membership certificate to which I am entitled, for I always want to help the society a little every year, living or dead.’ In 1875 I looked for the large display usually made by our old and loved friend Gilbert, but it was not there. He brought a few plates, and said: ‘ My friend, I could not keep away, I wanted to see you all; but it is my ijast State Fair.” He spoke solemnly but truly. We looked to see his white locks at Jackson in *76, but he did not come. And the veteran and pioneer fruit grower is dead, but his memory liveth and should live in our society. The fragrance of the orchard when in bloom surrounds the life and death of John Gilbert.” ‘** Another pioneer of the State, a life member of our society, has passed on to the other more glorious life, and we should cherish his menory, for he was a good friend of ours, as he was a good friend to all similar enterprises. Judge Munroe, of South Haven, saw Van Buren county when it was a wilderness, and lived long enough to see it blossoming like the rose. He was a man who was a part of all this growth, progress, and improvement. I met him first at the meeting in South Haven, when he came forward, quietly and privately, saying : ‘Here is ten dollars; that makes a life member; I want to help your society, for I have tried to help them all, and yours is the youngest. I believe in them all. I want to see them all sustained. Jaman old man and cannot work much, but I want to belong to your society.’ Judge Munroe was, also, one of the first members of the State Agricultural Society. In 1849 he attended the first meeting, at Detroit, to perfect measures for the first State fair held in the State, and I learn from our Brother Holmes that it was Judge Munroe who first proposed the business committee of that society. Said he to Secretary Holmes: ‘It is not conyenient for our western members to come to Detroit every time you want a meeting; now appoint a committee to arrange and provide for the fair.” It was so ordered, and this committee was called the ‘business com- mittee.’ He was first and foremost in many good works, and no man was more honored and respected in Van Buren county. ‘South of Van Buren county, at Niles, we haye lost another friend. Wm. Bort was a man of great proficiency as a horticulturist in its broadest sense. Though of local and provincial reputation, our State has possessed but few who could equal him in his professional attainments. He was a plant-grower of rare skill. He did much to create a taste for fruit culture in Berrien county. He died in the prime of manhood, lamented by the entire community among WINTER MEETING, 1877. 57 whom he had lived for years, universally loved and respected. At one time he was a most useful member of the executive committee of the State Agri- cultural Society. *“T met him first at our dedication meeting at South Hayen, when his marked intelligence, modesty, and kindness of heart, made a deep impression upon all who came in contact with him. We all saw at once that he was a master among fruits. His death made a profound impression where he was known. ‘*'This society mourns his loss with his numerous friends in the southwestern section of the State. “*T feel as if some reference should be made to the death of the late treasurer of this society, Hon. Henry Seymour. His last days were clouded with the deep gloom of pain and suffering, but through it all he was patient, calm, and uncomplaining. I notice that the death of but few men in the Grand river valley has called out through the press more touching and affectionate tributes of respect and sympathy. Hecame to Grand Rapids in 1842, and since that day, for 35 years, he has held a place in public esteem granted to but few. He represented the people of his county in both Senate and House. He loved rural life and the things of the country, and this taste always brought him prominently in connection with the horticultural and agricultural affairs of his county. He was always active at the county fairs, continuously did service in some capacity. Brought in frequent contact with him while he was treas- urer, I always found him courteous, kind, correct in his accounts, and I believe that he was a man of unvarying integrity. He was the kindest of par- ents, and his wife and children clung to him with the tenderest affection. Though dead he liveth in many hearts. ‘J. P. THomPsON.”’ Respectfully submitted. W. J. BEAL, C. N. MERRIMAN, N. CHILSON, Committee. KEEPING GRAPES. The following letter was read from EH. F. Guild of Saginaw, on his method of preserving grapes for a long season: To the President of the State Pomological Society : The grapes should be picked on a dry day when there is no moisture on the fruit, and placed in stone jars in layers, care being taken not to break the skin or in any way bruise or injure any of the berries. Alternate the layers between with soft paper or any other material that will absorb the moisture and keep the fruit dry. Dig a trench in any dry ground where the water does not stand in the soil, about six or eight inches deeper than the crock, put the crocks in a trench and coyer with a board or stone, cover loosely, taking care not to cover too tight. Cover with earth and let them remain until the ground begins to freeze. When the ground has frozen to the depth of four or five inches, some mulch, coarse manure or any materialshould be put on the ground to prevent the frost from penetrating any deeper, the main object being to keep the fruit at as even a temperature as possible. They can be taken up at any time before the frost goes out of the ground. 8 58 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. If they are buried six or seven feet beneath the surface they can be kept until grapes come again. The above method is so simple that any person can haye grapes as fresh as when picked from the vine at any time during the year. THE MANN APPLE. Mr. Elisha Moody of Lockport, who had previously sent on samples of the Mann Apple for exhibition at this meeting, then gave a short talk about the apple as follows: The description of the Mann Apple will be found in the appendix to Downing’s Fruit and Fruit Trees of America, and runs like this: ‘‘ Tree hardy, an up- right grower, with rather sleuder branches, forming a round head; an early and annual bearer, a late keeper, valuable for market and cooking, and a fair table fruit. Fruit medium to large, roundish oblate, nearly regular; skin deep yellow when fully ripe, often with a shade of brownish red when exposed, and thickly sprinkled with light and gray dots, a few being areole; stalks short, rather small; cavity medium or quite large, sometimes slightly russeted ; calyx generally closed; basin rather large, slightly corrugated ; flesh yellowish, half fine, half tender, juicy, mild, pleasant subacid ; good to very good ; core medium. January, April.’”’ I might add to this description that it keeps as well as the Roxbury Russet. We believe that the apple was once known as the ‘‘ Deiltz’’ apple. We were about the first to propagate it, and as we obtained our scions from Dr. Mann of our county (Niagara), we have always called it the ‘‘ Mann Apple,’’ by which name it is now known. We sent some of the trees to Missouri several years ago, and we are informed that they haye not been injured in the least by the unusual cold winters of the past few years. A nurseryman there writes us that he thinks it more hardy than the Duchess of Oldenburg. Wednesday Lvening. The session opened with some questions put to Mr. Moody, which elicited a little more information upon the Mann apple. He considered it a great acquisition. Specimens were shown and tested by interested members, and the apple was pronounced all that it was recommended. Prof. Ingersoll of the State Agricultural College then gave an address, which was listened to with great interest upon ORCHARD DRAINAGE AND CULTIVATION. It may seem somewhat out of place to speak of orchard drainage to an andi- ence in aportion of our State where but little of the soil needs artificial drainage, and especially where such a display of fine fruits is made and most of them raised on undrained lands. But because you have thus succeeded in favored localities and under favorable circumstances, do not flatter yourselves thatjsuch work is superfluous and unnecessary. Many of you are aware that large portions of our State need drainage of some kind before the farmer can raise crops successfully: that there are many WINTER MEETING, 1877. 59 farms in the counties of Macomb, Wayne, St. Clair, Livingston, Shiawassee, where a man would be at a loss where to place his orchard if he had any regard for the life, health and prosperity of his trees. There are many more that it is desirable to have the orchard placed in a cer- tain location on the farm, but the soil is too low and wet; and yet we see farmers wasting money year by year in such places by buying and setting trees in places where trees will almost absolutely refuse to grow, or if they live make but a sickly, pinched growth, and they laboring in vain to keep the vacant places full. It sometimes seems as if men use good judgment in every direction but this. But let us look this question squarely in the face, and see what is to be gained, if anything, by orchard drainage, and jist, let us look at the in fluence on the land and crops. Almost every farmer has some general idea that thorough drainage of land is beneficial; but if one has never seen the effect produced by the drainage of some low, wet piece of ground by drains thirty feet apart, and three and a half to four feet deep, he will be more thansurprised. It will seem as if some fairy with magic wand has touched it with a charm, and lo! where only sedges and wild grasses, ferns and flags could grow, we now see fields of waving corn or grains, meadows of beautiful grass, and all brought about through the agency of drainage. And here let me say that much more of our land would be bene- fited by drainage than most farmers imagine. If your lands are not ready to work in thirty-six to forty-eight hours after severe rains you had better introduce drains at once. You may, perhaps, get frightened at the amount of water taken from the field, and fear for the time of drought, but here you will be doubly surprised for the crop over the drains will stand the dry weather better than the other, from the greater capillarity of the soil superinduced by the taking away of the water before hand. The first benefit I notice, then, in regard to the soil is its greater porosity, by which the field is made more pulvyerulent, easy to work; and at the same time the soil aerified, that is, the water is rapidly taken from the soil, and the air fills the interstices and induces capillarity when the dry weather comes on. You are all familiar with the puddling of the soil that takes place where water has stood and evaporated, so that the soil seems baked and compact in such hol- lows, while on the ridges the soil is much more loose and porous, though of the same texture. The drains make the whole even better than the ridges. Second, the greater warmth and quickness of the soil. Most of you are aware that evaporation is a cooling process; that to keep cool in the long sum- mer days, we sprinkle our floors thoroughly with water, and the heat is absorbed in the effort to convert the water into vapor, and thus the temperature in that immediate vicinity is lowered. You have but to transfer this process to your fields and you can understand why it is that wet fields are always cold, and why vegetation grows more slowly there. Also why these fields are liable to late spring frosts and early ones in the fall. But take away the water by drains and you avoid the large amount of evaporation necessary to make the field tillable. You can often gain ten to twelve days of time in the spring, and nearly as much more in the fall, and thus make a crop which would otherwise be lost by frost. But why speak of the crops in an address on orchard drainage? We ans- er, because farmers generally crop their land when the orchard is young, as a 60 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. means to cultivate the trees, and raise something so as not to lose entirel; the use of the land while waiting for the fruit. It would be much better to culti- yate the ground with no crop but the fruit trees, and direct our whole energy and attention in that field to that alone. But we must take things as we find them. Ninety-nine out of every one hundred men do crop their orchards, If, then, these men can increase their crops by the drainage of the fields so as to pay for the cost of drainage while they are waiting for returns from their fruit trees, the benefits the trees receive will be gratuitous. But does drainage so pay? In a late number of the Country Gentleman was the report of a convention of farmers in Ohio at which the subject of thorough drainage was discussed. Several men gaye their experience in regard to it. Two or three said they were paid by the second crop. Several others were con- fident that they were paid for all the time, trouble, and expense by the first four crops. Now if drainage will so increase the capacity of the land to produce so that a man can pay for his drains from the increased produce in seven years (at which time his orchard will begin to bear), he has made a capital investment. A writer in rural affairs says that in his own experience drains paid for them- selyes in increased productiveness in three years, and that, too, on land that superficial observers would say needed no draining. We will notice, then, sec- ondly THE EFFECT OF DRAINAGE ON FRUIT TREES. We will take as our first position, then, that trees should have a steady growth. Too frequently has it been in the past that fine trees have been obtained from the nursery, set comparatively well, started vigorously for two or three years, and then suddenly appear checked in growth, the result of the roots haying appropriated the available space, and the after growth to be made by thrusting the roots into cold stagnant water, or into soil saturated with water. It is now pretty generally known that crops will not thrive in such places, and people should think that trees, and especially fruit trees, need to have care exercised in this direction. There are various theories in regard to this, but it is not our purpose to enter into a discussion on that point. Lindley says that ‘‘no person has seen good fruit produced by trees grown in lands imperfectly drained.”’ I have but to present you an example of the apple orchard of the College farm, which was nearly at a standstill as regards growth and fruit, until it was drained by putting a two-inch tile between each row of trees at a depth of three to four feet, and the trouble was entirely remedied. ‘The trees sprung into luxuriant growth, and also fruited well. They have done more in two years since drainage than in five years before. This brings us to the second position, which is that drainage makes trees healthy. We think of this perhaps when we put out an orchard, but stop all efforts in that direction immediately after,—7. e. we take care perhaps in set- ting trees, to look after the roots, and perhaps manure, mulch, and water the first year, and then leaye the trees to take care of themselves after that. The result is that they make a year or two of good growth. ‘The farmer then wants to seed down his field, and does so to the detriment of his orchard. He should keep a steady growth for health by first draining his land to the depth of four to five feet, then he should cultivate his field in such crops as will best promote WINTER MEETING, 1877. 61 the interests of the trees, and make everything done with that field look pri- marily to the prosperity of his trees, and secondarily to other things. The man who would treat his animals in the way he treats his orchard would not expect any adequate returns or many compliments from his neighbors as to the fineness of his herd. He recognizes the fact that he must give his animals constant feed, care, and attention in order to have them thrive,—that to get the best results he must have a continuous growth, and not let them stand still or go back six months in the year. Trees can not be healthy unless they have such steady continuous growth, and it should be our aim to give them such growth. If these two things have been looked after we shall have fruit of first quality, and in good quantity. I yenture to state this proposition,—that every one wishes to raise first quality of fruit; but every one does not. In some experiments as to the quality of apples grown on trees that were properly cultivated and the fruit thinned, there was found to be a decided difference in favor of that when compared with that raised on trees grown in grass and with less care. As the attention of people is called to the difference in quality there will be more difference in the prices paid for fruit, and that of first quality will meet with ready sale, while second and third-rate fruit will go begging for buyers, and this will be more especially marked in years when fruit is plenty. You may be ready to ask why drainage has not been more extensively prac- ticed, if this be true? We will for a few moments consider some reasons for it, or drawbacks that have kept farmers from it. And first is the cost to the pioneer. Every one is aware that in the early settlement of a country, the mass of the settlers haye all they can do to keep the wolf (starvation) from the door, and that they haye very little to invest in way of getting fruit. If they have the money to spare to get a few trees, they feel rich and thinkonly of the trees. The cost of underdraining would entirely preclude them from having fruit if they waited to raise it on drained land. Second, they are in haste to get their trees growing and hardly wait for any great length of time to get ready for the trees, but put them out among the stumps, and do the best they can under the circumstances.. It is a great privation for families to do without fruit when in their eastern or more southern homes they haye had it in comparative plenty. To buy, as pioneers, seems almost out of the question, hence their anxiety to get trees growing. Third, The comparative recent introduction of tile drains in this country. This was not brought about until about the year 1850. In 1835 Mr. John Johnston made the first tiles in this country from patterns obtained in Scotland. The results were so good that in 1848 Mr. Delafield imported one of Scragg’s tile machines. The use of tile gradually spread so that we may say 1850 was the year in which tile drainage was firmly established. It was not until 1858 that round tile were introduced, which gave us the most perfect system known. The short time that drainage has been in use would preclude the idea of finding many orchards drained before setting the trees, in the older portions of our State, and they are not very likely to be drained after, as men are more likely to give as the reason of non-growth or non-production, almost anything beside the want of drainage. Fourth, Farmers obtain comparatively good results without drainage, and thus are easily satisfied. Perhaps they will add: ‘‘O well! drainage is well 62 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. enough for those who are to make a specialty of fruit-growing; but for me it will not pay. Ihave not the time nor the means to attend to it.’’ As well might the farmer argue that it would not pay for him to prepare his ground well for wheat, because he does not make a specialty of wheat-growing or tend his corn well because he is not a corn king among his neighbors. peu o other objection urged is that it is too late to do anything now, nearly all the to) orchards are planted that will be needed in this part of our State, and there is no use of making a radical change. But farmers and friends, do you not know that every year thousands of young trees are being sold in these same old portions of our State? And for what purpose? Viz.: to fill up the vacant spaces occurring yearly in these same half-cared-for orchards. A better era I am happy to say is dawning upon us, The organization of many influential men in this State Pomological Society, as well as many local societies, cannot failto have a renovating influence. The holding of such meetings as this in various portions of our ‘State cannot fail to assist in arousing an enthusiasm. In the next ten years we hope to see some new orchards put out with due preparation. In many places where grievous mistakes have been made, men are thinking of abandoning the old orchard, taking what it will do without care until a new one can be put out and raised to bearing on correct principles. Then the old one is tobe dug up. Do not be deterred from using drains on account of the roots entering the joints and stopping them. If afraid, you can cement the joints in the more exposed places; but use the drains. I was talking with a man last month, who had drains down fifteen years in an orchard and had only been stopped at the end that length of time. When asked if he intended to take them up and replace them, he replied: ‘Certainly, sir. I would not be without them there for half the value of the orchard.’’? And now, my friends, let us consider for amoment the preparation. When afarmer wishes to raise a fine crop of wheat, he spends a large portion of the working season in a year to prepare a proper place to deposit the seed. He well knows that to half plow a piece of ground and then broadcast his seed, and half harrow it in, would be but to insure him meagre returns. But when the good farmer goes to set out an orchard instead of spending one or two years to get the eround well fitted, drained, etc., he usually orders the trees, and when they arrive casts about for some piece of ground that he can get plowed the easiest, and then puts his trees in as best he can. How much wiser for this man to spend two or more years in preparation, when he takes into consideration the fact that his orchard is a crop that is to be carried through the next fifty years, or even that he make as much preparation as for his wheat crop that lasts but asingle year. In regard to fruit raising, I fear we know how, better than we do. But let us not shut our eyes to the fact that if we expect to succeed we must adopt measures to make quality instead of quantity the desideratum. While passing through Chicago I saw apples that were labeled ‘‘ Michigan apples,’’? and were the best the market afforded; they were also sold higher accordingly. We have also won the premiums at many fairs and expositions ; but let us not in view of these facts rest on our laurels. If we expect to im- proye and go forward, keeping pace with our sister States, we must be up and doing—we ‘must work. Mr. Lord.—I have some practical interest in the matter of stoppage of drains by the roots of trees. It seems to me there may be some question, perhaps about the advisability of orchard drainage—except in cases where the ground WINTER MEETING, 1877. is quite wet, simply because of this trouble of root stoppage of the tile. No long ago one of my drains ceased to flow, and not until I had expended a hun- dred dollars did I find out the cause of the difficulty. It was at last ascertained to be the rootlets of an apple tree near by, which had been thrust into a length of tile to such an extent as to completely fill up the aperture. This bit of expe- rience led me to wonder if it would not be advisable to select with greater care the land upon which an orchard is to be placed—according to the necessity of tile drainage—when it may in the end be so costly an investment. Mr. Ingersoll.—I admit there is some danger from this cause, but from the experience of others I glean that tile will not be liable to fill up opposite the trees for say fifteen years, and an orchardist can well afford to clear them out as often as that. Mr. Moody.—I can suggest from my own experience a cheap remedy for this difficulty. It is my practice now to make a cement of water lime and sand and put over the joints next to the trees, thus effectually excluding the rootlets from any entrance therein, and not in the least checking the effectiveness of the drain, as the water without difficulty finds its way through the porous tile. I haye, to ascertain the porosity of tile, experimented somewhat by placing a tile plugged at both ends in water, and haye found that it will fill in a minute. LANDSCAPE GARDENING FOR FARMERS. Secretary Garfield next occupied nearly an hour of the session with an address upon the above topic, of which the following is a brief abstract. He opened with the statement that he should not aim to say pretty words about pretty possibilities, nor spread before the audience an elaborate system of landscaping, but he should simply deal with such modifications of country homes as will exhibit taste, develop refinement, and enhance the money value of these homes at very little expense in cash, but with the best of results to the family circle. Why should we beautify? First, For the beauty itself. Second, For what beauty will effect in man. The results most noticeable in the matter of house adornment are: (1) an added refinement; (2) a satisfaction of possession ; (3) development of a new set of faculties; (4) an exhibition of benevolent spirit; (5) a higher appreciation of the created things of God. Lastly, an increase of possessions which might be classified simply as a satisfaction, a sort of stock in trade not to be negotiated; or a something which, in case of a sale of the property, might bring cash to the pocket. It is a mistaken idea that utility and beauty are incompatible. Nothing is truly beautiful that exhibits a breach of utility. Several illustrations were cited upon this point. In the matter of practical hints, he first took the house, and although dis- claiming to dictate as a builder, he made several suggestions, of which we men- tion two: First, the living-room in the house, whether it be kitchen, sitting- room, or parlor, should have the pleasantest outlook of any room. Second, the arrangement of entrances should be such as to elimitate any chance of error in getting at the proper place for visitors to enter the house. The speaker related how, a little time before, he had been misled by appearances, and, instead of entering, as he supposed, the front of the house, he had to be led through the wood-room, kitchen, and dining room, before finding the place to be seated ! The lawn next claimed his attention as the most important accompaniment 64 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. of the house. He recommended that it be made once for all. Nothing would answer short of stirring the ground two feet in depth; then thorough fertiliz- ing and smoothing, and grass seed rather than sod. Have no walks except good ones,—and a good walk or drive requires considerable labor in the begin- ning. Good grayel with clay enough in it to pack it eight inches in depth is a requirement. In speaking of trees and shrubs, he gave the tonguey agent a cuff for selling so many tender things and recommending them as hardy. No trees or shrubs are so yaluable for ornamental purposes as those gathered from the forests of Michigan. Grouping requires skill, but experience in this instance is a pleas- ant teacher. The one thing he liked best in the arrangement of grounds was individuality—that is, something that bespeaks the peculiar taste of the family. Flowers he would have in abundance, but in a garden by themselves, and not scattered promiscuously in beds over the lawn. Flowers are made to pick, and the plants are better for the picking. Flowers should be placed all about the house, and especially where the mother and daughters can haye the benefit of them while engaged in the various duties of the house. To meet the expense of adornment of his premises, the farmer should be more of a business man, making more of his time, and not allowing everybody to break into it any more than the merchant does. The farmer might drop a good many little vices, of which the use of tobacco is atype. Also give up the desire of a large bank account at the expense of home comfort. Lastly, unite the fam- ily in the work of beautifying. From B. Hathaway, the poet horticulturist of Little Prairie Ronde, June 18: ‘«T had expected to bring samples of the Michigan strawberry to South Haven, which [ continue to cultivate, and with which I am still abundantly satisfied, as it and the Wilson are the most profitable kinds on my g grounds. I would also have brought another seedling of mine that is nearly if not quite equal to the Michigan in productiveness, and hi is, besides, some features peculiarly its own. It is, ‘also, a scarlet berry, of good flavor, long necked, and quite firm for a scarlet variety. It is one that I shall propagate further, and is worthy of trial otherwheres. It may be of interest to some if I say that the seedling cherry that originated with me ten or fifteen years ago, and partially “dissemi- nated, has this year borne a very fair crop. I think I sent Mr. Lyon a tree of it, also one to Mr. Downing. The latter wrote me last year about it, saying it was earlier and finer than the Richmond, and inquired about its bearing qualities. Its first promise was to bear properly, but for several years it has disappointed me. ‘Two years, however, it has borne as well as the Early Richmond of same age, which is all that can ‘reasunably be asked. Heretofore the curculios have spoiled the fruit of this cherry badly, but this year it has mostly escaped this insect. I will also mention, as a matter of interest to experimenters, that I have about one hundred and fifty seedling raspberry plants, among which are some of remarkable yigor and promise. I am in hopes to get a thornless that has the vigor of the Mammoth Cluster, or a black cap th at has the cane habit of the Philadelphia. The apple crop of this region is light; mine less than half a crop, and the varieties in fruit not the profitable kinds, except a few.”’ From Wm. Rowe, of Grand Rapids, June 18: “Fruit in this section is about as follows: Apples, very scarce; same of pears and peaches; cherries plenty and good; strawberries never better, and prices low; prospects for raspberries very good. The interest in floriculture is on the increase. Notwithstanding the hard times there were more flowering plants sold in Grand Rapids this spring than at any one previous season, and also in our country villages; this is one of the landmarks of refinement and progress.”’ ADDRESS OF WELCOME. The address of welcome to the society was given by Mr. C. J. Monroe, and responded to by H. Dale Adams, both of which are given entire, as follows: By request of the President of our village it is my pleasant duty to welcome you to our community. While lack of time and talent will prevent my saying any very fine things to you in a literary way, I think I can assure you th at our people will show substantial evidence of their appreciation of your coming among us. We cannot invite you to any very elegant homes, with their rich surround- ings of furniture and carriage equipage, but will try to give you some of that hospitality mentioned by Emerson, wherein he says: at pray you, O excel- lent wife, not to cumber yourself or me to get a rich dinner for this man, or woman who has alighted at our gate, nor a bed chamber made ready at too great cost. These things, if they are curious in, they can get for a dollar at any village. But let this stranger see, if he will, in your behavior, your heart, and earnestness, your thought and will, get what he cannot buy at any price, in any village or city and which he may well travel fifty miles, and dine ‘sparely, 78 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. and sleep hard in order to behold. Certainly let the board be spread and the bed be dressed for the traveler; but let the emphasis of hospitality not be in these things. Honor to the house where they eat simple to the verge of hard- ship, so that the intellect is awake, sees the laws of the universe, the soul wor- ships truth, and love, honor and courtesy flow in all deeds.’’ The state of our finances renders it yery easy to comply with part of this advice, and we will make a strong effort to mix in enough courtesy and hospi- tality to reassure you of your welcome presence. Recalling the fact that our State is one of the prominent fruit raising States of the Union, that it is specially favored in its location; surrounded as it is by the great lakes, whose modifying influences enable us to raise all the fruits known to this latitude, whose broad surface furnishes us, in its easy swinging motion, a transportation unequaled, and whose cooling waters preserve and give a freshness which far exceeds any refrigerator yet invented; besides, connecting us with the numerous large cities on their shores, which in turn are the distributing offices of a vast amount of now fruit-producing territory. Recognizing your society with its branches as the exponents of this great interest; that its development has been and will continue to be largely due to your efforts, and, feeling that here on the shores of one of these grand old Jakes we enjoy a liberal share of Michigan’s fayored advantages, we welcome you. ‘ We are sensible that nature has been exceedingly kind in giving us every de- sirable variety of soil, and in surrounding us with climatic influences which enable us to produce abundantly, and of the finest quality, all of these fruits, and of unlimited markets of such easy access as to place them in the great marts of the northwest in a mature state and most perfect condition. With these many natural and important advantages we are glad to have you come among us; we need your knowledge and experience that we may learn more efficiently to wisely utilize these natural advantages; in the choice of soil for certain kinds of fruit, in the proper drainage and preparation of the ground, in selecting the best varieties for home and market, that we may plant and cultivate to the best advantage, that we may prune to give air and sunlight, and the greatest convenience in gathering, that we may so thin our fruit of all kinds as to give length of days to our trees, larger and more perfect fruit to our customers. That we may distinguish the birds that will destroy more insects than fruit, and resort to such other means as will prevent the vast army of insects, beetles, borers, codling moths, etc., from confiscating our fruits and trees too freely ; that we may have such a succession of fruit as will last through the season. Control the bearing of our orchards so as to haye yearly crops; and, so improye our drying and canning as to round out the year with a neyer failing supply of what is becoming more and more a necessity, agreeable to the taste, good for food, counteracting the malarious influences of climate, and thus essential to health. That we may learn some simple and cheap method of irrigation to bridge us over our occasional drouths, that we may investigate the potent influence of our forest trees, whose rapid destruction seems to carry with it some of the essential requisites of raising many of the tenderest and most delicious fruits ; thut we may preserve the fertility of our soil by adding those ingredients which the tree and fruit subtract; in a word that we may so multiply our knowl- edge in all the numerous and varied departments of fruit culture, that when JUNE MEETING, 1877. 19 we come to divide its ultimate proceeds, giving to the soil sufficient to increase its fertility. To the trees and fruit due care, To the cultivators a fair share. To the insects and beetles their stealings, Regard for commission men’s feelings ‘lo whom the fruit is sent And sold for a liberal per cent. To the baskets, boxes, and crates Add warehouse charges and freights, For twine and tarletan save a little, With the usual amount of incidental. With home’s frequent call, Through summer and fall. For the remainder have a care, For that is our “ profits” share. To make this remainder as large as possible is one of the yery desirable results of all our additions, subtractions, multiplications, and divisions. Having been over the four ground rules, our experience has taught us that in this, as in other pursuits, eternal vigilance is the price of victory. The changing of seasons, fruits and markets, and the numerous enemies of fruits and trees require us to be constantly on the alert. We need each one’s knowl- edge and experience, and so these gatherings are essential that we may learn more and more of these things which insure success in this important industry. We feel that your presence and interest will re-assure our people that the mistakes which may be related here will call out their remedies, that successes will bring with them the truth they come from care, forethought, and patient industry, and so spur us on to renewed efforts to lessen the one and increase the other. We need these gatherings for mutual encouragement, especially in times like these, when so many put on Jong faces and repeat with a variety of changes that it is ‘‘hard times,’’ and in their solitude think their lot peculiarly unfor- tunate. It is well to have this interchange of experience to remind us that each has his ups and downs. We require this social communion of thought that we may learn new ways 2nd means, and catch some of the inspiration of the more hopeful, thus resisting us to appreciate the grand fact there is more sun- shine than cloudy weather, more day than night, more prosperity than adver- sity. We want to brood less oyer the book of lamentations, and study more diligently those encouraging lessons so abundantly found in the good Book of life, recalling the teachings of the viney ard, and remembering the reward of the thrifty husbandman who improved his spring time in sowing “the good seed, his summer in weeding out the tares and cultivating his crops that the fall might bring him a plentiful harvest of the fruits of his toil for winter’s enjoyment. In conclusion, gentlemen, we again welcome you to our midst, and trust the hospitality and courtesy of our people will be such as to make your stay pleas- ant, and, that each and all will glean from this meeting some gem of experi- ence which, transplanted in practice to their own homes and business, will make the time spent here of profit to them. As the years run on, if any of you should again visit us, we trust you may see substantial evidence that we have profited by this meeting g, and we also hope, at its conclusion, as you depart for your Sev eral homes that you can truly say ‘‘It has been good to meet here together.’ 80 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. REPLY TO WELCOME BY H. DALE ADAMS. In beialf of the society I am requested to represent on this occasion and its friends here assembled to take part in the deliberations of this, one of our quarterly meetings of the year, ] assure you we thankfully accept the very generous offer so freely fendered us, and I trust, sir, when we return to our homes and families, we shall carry with us an appreciation of the friendships and hospitalities that have been extended to us on this occasion, and, sir, be ever able to bear in our memory a grateful remembrance of your village and people. But, sir, in accepting and expressing our many thanks for this distinguished manifestation of your regard to us, allow me to be plain with you and assure you that that is not all we expect by any means. Our people and the whole State, sir, have long looked to the pomologists that line the shore of the noble lake whose waters wash the western limits of your village, for that light and guidance in pomological science that have produced the gratifying results so manifest’ here. In short, sir, we expect the whole story of your experience and success, and, more still, we expect a little aid financially (pardon me, etc.) We expect every man and every woman who is not already a member of our society, will come forward sometime during the progress of this meeting and add their names to our membership list. Again I thank yon for the tender of the hospitalities and welcome of your village and people. Following these papers, a short discussion ensued on the subject of a new diploma for the Society, Mr. Thompson advocating that the diploma was a proper means of perpetuating the name of the society, and when one is procured it should be of such a character as to be appreciated and appropriate to frame and hang in a parlor or library. He believed in keeping the value of the di- ploma high, by awarding it only to strictly worthy things, where it will take the place of a twenty dollar, premium. The habit of aw arding a diploma to every little article lowers its value and makes it of little importance. The next paper was giyen at this juncture on— WHAT IS THE USE OF A STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY ? BY J. P. THOMPSON. GENTLEMEN :—There must always be embarrassment in talking of only a part of asubject when you mean the whole of it. Michigan Pomolozy is only a part of Michigan Horticulture. The first is the name under which we fly our flag, but the ‘latter is the thing itself,—the great interest which brings us together, which covers and embraces the entire State. At Chicago they gave a medal to the Michigan Horticultural Society, supposing of course, that this great State must include the whole range of rural felicities. At the Centen- nial constant effort was needed to keep our Society’s name from being ignored, fur the managers there thought it queer that we should limit ourselves to a sub- ordinate branch of Horticulture, when it was constantly being reported that our soil and climate was adapted, not merely toa branch, though a vigorous one, but to the entire tree,—root, trunk, branch, leaf, flowet, and fruit. I hope we shall gradually consent to a change, that our name may tell its own JUNE MEETING, 1877. 81 story of our aims and ends, our designs and objects. Pomology was the pio- neer,—all honor to it! Worticulture is a full-grown structure,—not rough and gigantic, but gradually assuming and developing a style of Grecian and classic form and elegance. ‘We notice that ne: wly all the States have builded this way. First the seed, then the tender stalk, and gradually the spreading, bloom- ing bearing tree, grand in form, and perfect in symmetry. In the remarks I shall make, I shall include not only what we preach but what we practice, at our meetings and at our fairs, a broad system of Horticulture. THE MAIN OBJECT of such a society as this, then, was and must be educational. We first discoy- ered the fact, the seed of truth, that this was a State adapted to horticuiture and to its branches, one of which is pomology, or fruit culture. Having de- termined the fact of adaptation and congeniality, we then sought to develop it. In the farm garden, as well as in the kitchen garden; in the flower garden, in the conservatory, and in the greenhouse; in the orchard and in the vine- yard, by amateur and professional; for landscape, for protection, for the highway, for the forest, for the railway; for the country, for the city; for the cottage and for the palace. Forif this is a horticultural State then have we some adyautages over other portions of the earth. Even if this is a fruit producing State, capable of growing in their perfection the fruits of the tem- perate zone, then are we the favorites of earth and sky. It is not necessary to ask, What is horticulture? What are its influences, its tendencies and its teachings? I shall not refer to its commercial advantages, though these be of great importance. THE TRUE VALUE. But horticulture affects the innermost character of a people. Its whole tendency is of a conservative and refining character, which attaches a people to the land in which they dwell. It not only adorns but it builds up and estab- lishes the country. Its special mission is to beautify and ornament and make attractive country life. It takes hold of the social, the intellectual, and nour- ishes, while it gives rest and peace to the head and heart. It attracts from the city to the country the very best elements of the city. The devotees of politics and the professions turn to it for solace and refinement. Sir, much ridicule was made of Horace Greeley’s farm, but if he had abided by its chastening influences he might be living to-day. It is said that the salary of our Secretary of State is inadequate to support his country place in Vermont. Mr. Evarts will tell you it is the best investment he makes. We have seen no reference to the horticultural attainments of the lamented and distinguished jurist, Judge Emmons, but it is a well-known fact that he built up and sustained an estab- lishment which, in his prime, was an honor to him and to the county and State in which he lived. THE ADVANTAGE TO THE CITY. And it was found that it was a charm added to city life, and that the influ- ence of trees and flowers, of fountains and parks, was purifying and restraining, and the bringing of fruits and flowers to the city table, at all seasons of the year, was combining the advantages of city and country life, and throwing these advantages open and into the hands of the rich and the poor. aE 82 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. ITS ORGANIZATION. Thus it was sought to prove, first, the fact that we had the capacity for a broad system of horticulture, and then that we could sustain it; and to enforce this, and to teach the principles of this, one of the highest as it is one of the most difficult of the useful arts, we combined and organized this society, so that its main object has been educational, to teach and to be taught. To accom- plish this the society has brought in as tributaries and aids all congenial arts and sciences; trained men have been called to instruct US ; practical men have thronged to our meetings and have given us their experience; a generous zeal has been aroused in all “classes of men and women to establish the society and promote its objects; so that the prospect for success was never brighter than it is to-day. THE FUTURE. No man can travel through this State and not get an inkling of its destiny in horticulture. Forty miles east of the Michigan lake shore is a city and county that is a growing type of what is to be. ‘here are entire counties that fifty years from now will be scenes of rural loveliness and magnificence. I have often compared the advantages of this lake shore with those of my native State. with the shore of Long Island, with the banks of the Connecticut and of the Hudson. Give this one-half the years of settlement with those, and I predict that this shore, from New Buffalo north, especially through the peach and tender fruit growing counties, will be lined with cottages and villas, the homes of a happy and cultured people, and that the country will be divided into plantat.ons of small farms and orchards that will illustrate American husbandry and Ameri- can life in its very best forms and habits. Lord Bacon did very nearly say a true thing when he declared that ‘‘ nations in their march in civilization began with erecting stately edifices and ended with highly cultivated gardens.” I hope for the sake. of our American cities that the day of stately edifices is gone, and that the day of cultivated gardens has come. Standing here at this mournful and disastrous outcome of shoddy and extrava- gance ,of wild speculation and the maddening rush for wealth which has brought desolation to the land, I ask an intelligent people if there is not need of the benign, healthful, and conservative influence of our cause to be spread abroad through- out the land? When we hear this melancholy wail go up from the homes of the country, that the sons and daughters have deserted the homesteads of their fathers and mothers for the glare and glitter of the cities, is it not time to build up the moral and social force contained in this horticultural advantage? Hence the educational element of this society is the most valuable and to be the most cherished. It was desirable to establish this characteristic of our state as one that is fixed and permanent, for with it and upon it were to be built such qualities in the people as would refine and ennoble them. THE ADVANTAGE TO BE DEVELOPED. It seemed desirable to develop our advantage. If we could add the fine art of horticulture to our system of agriculture, the combination would be com- plete as well as beneficent. It would be adding music, painting, and sculpture to the toil and drudgery of daily life. There was a special reason for the de- JUNE MEETING, 1877. 83 velopment of this interest, for, as I have already hinted, it was apparent that this was a ‘“‘fast’? age, and that the tendency was to build up the city at the expense of the country. 42 ais case eed oe coe ae vince ee Stee 1 Matec torticultural Societys: + 2-2: 0). 228. .22'b. 2: 2.2 hence 4k Mibtaninnanaio Gi sA ericultare. = 20's 2.2/3). Son Je ke on dee Se oe iMimenspeorticulturat Society: i222). 520202 ee idee clade oe ee ie Pidiamar boatdom eA CtiCulbure. 2/22 22-2 iwacibcels ite ~ e+e she =a ee inidiemanHiorticuliuraltsociety ss =). -\.- eres pee = 27 80 PEST DYE 7012 7 SIO QUO Pa ea em pie tee te tHE A 31 45 JARS SS Tah rep CHa Tae eh A Pelee tee a Ne ge ee ee) EP 80 85 SEEN Se STACI ve eA OLS =) 01 A (0 rr en mp er aN 450 00 SELERPET Te HEIaN FST De Se ee: ee eel er eee 28 91 J EXE ait EAST R CEP | De SC gl ge Ra 3 70 Hi DSSS PN TESS PED Va TACT Ore eMC MOREY NLS A a "Sec FB es $3) per FEE). STP ah Se Bete We Na as a, a Pah eid ER 200 11 TE TSN TnI hard toh bolt GPa meat eal jy [Sh Me ne) 5 00 CNET STP ae a ea We oa ee el e e e 8 ee 11 25 284 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. AGvertisine (principally for D6 7G)xe~ os ea ee se $15 82 ravelingsexpenses HeCreLary 582 205. Ble ae Clo. Se 16 40 Delegate. to Western New York Horticultural Society-...-.-------- 32 28 Summary of disbursements to December Ist.... ....------------ $973 93 FUTURE WORK OF THE SOCIETY. The work of the past year has in many ways been eminently satisfactory, but we are not in the proper condition unless we can see some things to mend— unless we are willing and glad to adopt new measures to increase our usefulness. In glancing over the field in which we are to exert our influence and carry on our work, there are several amendments and additions that occur to me, would be [eae to incorporate into our method and which I aim bold to suggest. . There needs to be a greater degree of intimacy established between the so- ae and the various portions of the State, in so much that a continuous inter- change of thought may be established. Questions of methods of management in all the departments of horticulture should be sent in from all quarters freely and brought before our meetings, that each section of the State may derive the full benefit of the rich experience of our members scattered over the entire Penin- sula. The Secretary can be the medium of such correspondence, and when questions come to him for immediate answer he need not wait to bring them before a quarterly meeting but refer them immediately to members of the society, whose special work or experience has been in the direction indicated by the query, and I think from my experience in corresponding with the pomologists of Michigan the past year, they will be happy to answer fully any such ques- tions referred to them. We are organized for the accomplishment of just this kind of work, and I submit this suscestion as indicating a method of car rying on one branch of our work. It is necessary that some arrangement should be made somewhere by which we can secure a headquarters,—a place where our smaller meetings can be held, —where special committees can convene and feel that they are at home and encroaching upon no one,—and we need a place to gather our property and feel that it is permanently situated. If the great commonwealth of Michigan can not afford us,—as representatives of a leading interest in our State,—a single room in its capitol, or even if it is given grudgingly, it would be a question wor- thy of some discussion: What higher, nobler, or more worthy objects are the rooms in our capacious State building to be devoted to? and if there are abun- dant and satisfactory reasons for shutting us out, we must seek a corner some- where else in the State. I would further suggest that we do more newspaper work. When any important paper or letter is written upon a topic of the day that loses its force by waiting until the Report is published, some means should be taken to send the communication abroad through the State, and this can be done at a very little expense by sending printed slips to the leading State and county newspa- pers. ‘These slips can be struck off for the cost of the press work, which is almost nothing, and for a penny each can be forwarded to fifty newspapers in the State, always discriminating as regards localities from the character of the communication. In this way our best work will reach every part of the State just when it is most needed. 4. We need to look upon our annual fairs more as sources of education to the people, and by eyery means possible strive to secure the same interesting DECEMBER MEETING. 28% and attractive exhibition, while by skillful management the actual good result- ing is increased very largely. 5. A strong effort should be made to largely increase our permanent fund. It is now decided by the Society that this fund shall be safely placed where it will continually earn something for the Society, and there are 500 men in Mich- igan that have sufficient interest in our work to pay ten dollars each into our life fund and take life membership certificates, if the matter were only placed right before them, and the method to be pursued is a problem worthy of imme- diate thought in its solution. 6. Our annual membership has of late fallen off, and although I believe this to be no sign of disintegration, still, if our work is continuously good, it should receive continuous support, and the men who give us their dollar one year have the same reason for making a similar deposit the next; and if this mouey is inyested in our Society we get the interested assistance of the investor to see that it develops something, and this interested assistance is what we most need. 7. We need to make more use of our Agricultural College. ‘To be sure, we are receiving from several professors valuable services every year, but, inasmuch as we haye no experimental gardens and orchards, would it not be wise to em- ploy, in some measure, the College gardens and orchards for this purpose? I do not mean by this to in any degree assume control of anything there or dic- tate as to its management, because this would be outside of our domain; but we have already been offered the opportunity of suggesting experiments to be tried there, and we have not lived up to our opportunities. My own thought is, that we should help by furnishing work to be done there in the line of experiment to build up a department of horticulture that shall be a matter of pride to us as well as to the College. We are invited to do this, and it is a great deal better for us to make valuable suggestions than to find fault. I can see that the most valuable kind of work can be done by linking together the work of our Society and that which may be done at the College in our line, and am in favor of seizing the opportunity. And in closing may I be allowed to remark that I haye faith in our Society, in its available working force, and in its ability to do generous service to the horticultural interests of the State for an indefinite period, and, with discreet management and interested assistance from those to whom it gives the most, the lines that limit its usefulness may be made to continuously diverge. Henry G. Reynolds, Superintendent of Pomological Hall at the State Fair, next gaye a report of his work at the annual exposition: REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT REYNOLDS. To the President, Executive Committee, and Members of the State Pomological Society : GENTLEMEN,—Our printed programme is so full of important subjects that I will make my report as short as may be. As regards special exhibits I will say nothing, as the reports of Mr. Chilson and Mr. Guild will doubtless cover these subjects. The display, as a whole, was most unprecedentedly and unexpectedly large— indeed, much too large for the space allotted to us—and except for the restriction limiting town and county exhibits of apples to twenty plates each, we should have been entirely unable to have found space for the fruit offered. This restriction excited a good deal of unfavorable comment from those wishing to make an imposing display, but I think that further consideration will 286 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. persuade them that the regulation is a wise one. Our object is, not to compete with the fruit dealer in quantity, but to exhibit and encourage the highest development of the best article. ‘The uniform testimony of eyery successful orchardist is that they first planted too many varieties for profit, and that the number of yarieties which it pays to include in a market orchard is, in any given locality, very small. It is the province of our society to discourage the planting of the less profitable sorts and in this way to encourage the substitution of the better kinds. It is true, we wish to see in our exhibitions specimens of as many varieties of fruit as possible, that we may learn to know and distinguish one from the other ; but the proper place for this display is in the competition of single plates, where specimens of the same thing grown under varying circumstances and from various localities may be seen and compared ; but I think that the principle should be established that when the Society grants a premium upon a collection, whether from county, town, or individual, or of whatever fruit, it should embrace only such varieties as the society can endorse as of the very first rank for profitable and worthy culture. An incidental and secondary advantage of this would be a great improvement in the appearance of our exhibitions, as admitting of uniform and classified arrangement. I think all will agree with me in this who remember the neat and handsome appearance of the seventeen competing town and county collections of apples at the late fair. This would have been still further enhanced had we been able to put over each collection the name of the town or county from which it came, but this could only have been done by knowing in advance what labels to prepare, whereas for most of the collections there was no announcement previous to the first day of the fair. Would it be impracticable to require intending exhibitors to make their intentions known and to specify the space needed in each class a week or two in advance of the fair? If this were possible it would be very desirable, as it would enable those in charge to prepare perfectly for all that was to come, so that there should be no crow ding, no confusion, no disappointment. It would be especially desirable in arranging the space for the competition of plates, as by this means the labels could all be placed in advance exactly right and with no waste of room, so that as each article arrived and was opened it could be put at once in its right St and need no subsequent moving or re-arranging. In this connection I wish to speak of the value and importance of a plain and complete series of labels. Those provided last September we owe to the forethought of our Secretary, and I hope that another season will see the same system carried throngh every class, and even to every plate. In this way only does our display become intelligible to the general public. Without it we speak in an unknown tongue and therefore not to edification. Another matter to which I would call attention is the prime necessity of a good light for our displays. At the late fair its absence was very much felt, as the building assigned to us could hardly have been less suited to its purpose, and the kind offices of the Agricultural Society in decorating the hall for us in advance proved hardly an advantage as the heavy green boughs, though very beautiful in themselves, absorbed a “oreat deal of what scanty light there was. For a hall built of rough timbers, a better plan, I think, though a somewhat expensive One, would be to hang walls and ceiling with cheap white cotton, or other white goods if cheaper, upon which the lightest possible design in sprays DECEMBER MEETING. 287 of evergreens would be a tasteful and all sufficient ornamentation, and thus our light would be husbanded instead of squandered. The first cost of material thus to kalsomine our exhibition hall would be considerable, but when once bought the same stuff would avail for several years ; and even this cost might be materially lessened if we could secure shopworn or otherwise slightly damaged goods, which in such large quantity could be had at very low prices. Another expedient which I put in practice, to remedy in part the defective light was simply to cover the entire shelf surface devoted to fruit and flowers with white printing paper, securing it in place by means of strips of wood about a quarter of an inch square and tacked exactly in the manner of a stair carpet rod along the inner angle of each step in the shelves. The advantages of this arrangement are the ease of application, the neat and uniform appearance of the shelves, and a white background, which is the best possible one for showing to advantage the delicate colors with which we have to deal, and makes the most of all the light we have. There are some matters which were brought forcibly before me during the fair, but which, as they may hardly be considered within the scope of such a report as the present, and more especially as they are each deserving of separate dis- cussion at length, I will do no more than to suggest. The first of these is the matter of our premium list, which, as at present constituted, seems to me designed to secure to every exhibitor some little crumb of comfort, rather than with the object of stimulating a sharp competition in the production of an extra article—something a little better than anything heretofore known. For this latter purpose we need to have very much fewer premiums, and these few so large as to excite wide-spread efforts to secure them. Along with this change would need to be the substitution, from our present hap-hazard system of awarding committees, of paid judges, experts in their several departments, who are chosen in advance by careful consultation of the Exective Committee. Our subjects are all so closely allied that we would really need but three such judges (aside from the Orchard Committee), one for the plants and flowers, one for fresh fruit, and one for all varieties of preserved fruits. If our display were properly classified and arranged to facilitate the work of these judges they would be able to do the whole. ‘The plan of having three members to every awarding committee is solely designed to divide and spread the responsibility, which is exactly what we do not want. A much better way of Hghtening the odium of unpleasant decisions would be to protect our judges and instruct our members with a well digested scale of points under every premium offered. Our orchard committee have before this found the necessity of such a scale, not only for their own justification, but for their guidance; and I am fully persuaded that it would be found equally useful in almost every class. Another point requiring attention in our premium list is the necessity of greater definiteness and precision in the statement of all conditions affecting the different compositions. Several unpleasant differences of opinion arose, and some of our committees were subjected to undeserved criticism because of such incomplete statement. The premium list is almost the only explanation which is read by the majority of our exhibitors, and it should leave nothing to be understood or taken for granted, as whatever is so left will be pretty sure of being misunderstood by a great many. 288 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.- And finally, as a last point, I wish to urge the abolition of my office. It is an old saying that what is everybody’s business is nobody’s business, and our society is in some danger of realizing this truth under its present system of managing the annual exhibitions. We have one too many officials. The gen- eral Superindent of Pomological Hall has no duties which do not properly and fairly belong respectively to the Superintendents of Fruits and Flowers, or else to the President, Secretary or Executive Committee. Happily, the evil system has thus far borne no perceptible fruit of its kind, but the merit of this fact belongs, I think, rather to the humanizing and improving influence of our pro- fession than to the system itself. Let us look a little at what may be consid- ered the superintendent’s sphere. As the first preliminary to the fair is the work of stirring up the exhibitors and receiving and answering communications from them. “Surely the former is most effectively done by the one who can say to those whom he invites that whatever is shown will be under his own immediate supervision ; and the latter is best understood at large by the simple rule, ‘‘ All communications should be addressed to the Secretary.’’ Then, if department superintendents wish to know the probable extent or character of the show in their department, the Secretary will have the latest data. Just before the fair comes the needed prep- aration of the hall; and here is one place where one man could do as well as more; but it would be no onerous task to make it devolyent upon any one of the otherwise much needed officers to attend to this one matter. For instance, request the Superintendent of Fruit to make it his business to see that the hall is in readiness, or even appoint in advance a resident member of the society as a committee of one to attend to it. The relative space occupied by the differ- ent departments could be decided as well by department superintendents in con- ference, and, if desired, with advice of President, as at present; and the sub- division of the space of each department to the respective exhibitors certainly belongs to the superintendent of that department, and not at all to a general superintendent. Then, the ‘‘ Courtesy of the House,’’ the distribution of the meal and en- trance Gakate to exhibitors, committees, and officers, would certainly be as appropriately placed, primarily, in the hands of the Secretary or President, who should supply the various officers and among others the superintendents, and secondarily with these superintendents who should distribute to those entitled to them in their departments. And lastly, a General Superintendent's report in addition to reports of Sec- retary and department superintendents is a nuisance requiring abatement. The ground to be gone over is the same. The only thing which the department superintendents do not report upon,—their own merits,—though for this year a most prolific theme, is the proper work of the Secretary or President, and thus as you see there is nothing left of the office which I have tried to fill—but the name. Very respectfully, HENRY G. REYNOLDS. EK. F. Guild of East Saginaw, who had charge of the Floral Exhibit at the State Fair, made the following report of DECEMBER MEETING. 289 PLANTS AND FLOWERS AT THE ANNUAL FAIR. To the Executive Committee and members of the Michigan State Pomological Society : GENTLEMEN—In looking over the place and space allotted to plants and flowers at the State Fair, I think it is a great credit to those who exhibited that so good a showing was made. I must say that it is really creditable to the good people of Jackson and vicinity, that tie hall was so well filled with that which is pleasing only to the eye, with that which most farmers say is labor thrown away to raise such stuff; but we are glad the time is fast approaching when people are learning to appreciate such things more, to spend more time in mak- ing their homes attractive, and pleasing to the eye. To W. R. Hibbard of Jackson, and C. Van Haaften of Kalamazoo, belongs the credit of making the larger portion of the professional display in plants, which were quite exten- sive, finely grown and extremely creditable displays, reflecting much credit upon the exhibitions. Mr. E. Cooley, of ‘* Wildwood,’’ Jackson, made a fine exhibition of hothouse plants and flowers in a glass case, the arrangement and character of which reflects great credit upon the establishment from which they came. In the amateur list, Mrs. W. K. Gibson, Mrs. Dr. Andrews, and Miss D. I. Field, were the principal exhibitors, and to each a large amount of credit should be given for the amount of labor they bestowed in beautifying the cen- tral portion of the hall. Mrs. Dr. Andrews fitted up alittle sanctum, or more properly arbor, by deftly combining and arranging form and color, with the treasures of her greenhouse and garden, in such a manner as to call forth the encomiums of the passing crowds, which certainly were well bestowed. Single specimens were exhibited by several parties among which were some yery fine specimens that were well grown, and among which the competion was so sharp that the committee were unable to decide. . The display of bedding plants, and cut flowers, was fair as to quantity, and in quality usually good, but some allowance should be made as most of the exhibitors resided outside of the city and some quite a distance from Jack- son. Among the exhibitors from the city of Jackson, especial mention should be made of and much praise is due to Miss Nellie C. Jenkins, for the energy and perseverance displayed in arranging her flowers (saying nothing of the growing them), she being a teacher in the public schools was obliged to perform her duties in school, and arrange her flowers at such times as could be spared from her other duties at school and at home, her mother being dependent for support upon the labor of the daughter. ‘The arrangement of cut flowers and designs were all very tasteful and unique in form, colors, and originality of design. All the classes were well filled, and for beauty of arrangement and ingenuity of design much credit is due to the fair hands, who with such delicacy could weaye in fancy and bring into form such delightful objects as were found in this department. Several entries were mace wihch did not get premiums, but which were worthy of special mention or recommendation. For Vick’s Special Premiums on cut Flowers there were five entries, and all well grown, creditable, and nicely arranged displays. ‘The competition was very close, and when the committee finished their duties and made known the awards, a protest was entered by Mrs. R. M. Cook, of Charlotte, who was awarded the second premium, but the second committee, which had served on 37 290 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. the professional list of pot plants, unanimously confirmed the decision of the first committee, which had a tendency to show that the decision of the committee was wise and just. The work of the committees was very arduons, but by patience and perseverance were overcome, especially was this the case with the committee on professional list of pot plants on account of being obliged to put Mr. Van Haften’s collection in Fine Art Hall from deficiency of room in Pomological Hall, a feature which should be remedied hereafter if possible, as it makes the duties of the committee more laborious and more difficult to make proper awards than when comparisons can be made together. I cannot close this report without tendering sincere thanks to the several committees, and to George Taylor of Kalamazoo, Wm. Rowe of Grand Rapids, Mrs. Austin Blair, Mrs. A. J. Gould, Mrs. C. E. Tunnicliff, Mrs. W. H. Withington, Mrs. A. A. Bliss, Mrs. Dr. Nims, and Miss Ella Fletcher, all of Jackson, and Miss Ida Chilson of Battle Creek, Mrs. S. Blanchard of Tecumseh, and Mrs. Thayer of Lansing, who served on the several committees. The Society cannot but be very grateful for the efficient manner that the work was done and the general satisfaction that the different awards gave to the exhibitors. I would tender my thanks to Supt. Reynolds and Secretary Garfield and wife for the assistance, kindness, and courtesies extended during the exhibition. And to my assistant, Miss Adams, I would tender my thanks for the able assistance and strict attention which she gave to the duties assigned her. Her ever smiling countenance was like rays of sunshine in the hall, and to her enduring patience and perseverance may be attributed the general good feeling engendered between the exhibitors and officers of the society. — Very respectfully submitted by your obedient servant, K. F. GUILD, Superintendent Floral Hall. Hast Saginaw, Nov. 22, 1877. ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR 1878. The hour haying arrived set apart for the purpose, the Society proceeded to the election of officers for 1878, which resulted as follows: President—T. 'T. Lyon, South Haven. Secretary—Chas. W. Garfield, Grand Rapids. Treasurer—Samuel L. Fuller, Grand Rapids. Members of Executive Committee for three years—W. KK. Gibson, Jackson; E. F. Guild, East Saginaw. Vice Presidents—one for each fruit county, as follows: Monroe county, I. E. Ilgenfritz; Lenawee county, 8. B. Mann, Ifillsdale, F. M. Holloway, Branch, J.D. W. Fisk, St. Joseph, Chas. W. Sheldon; Cass, B. G. Buell; Berrien, A. O. Winchester; Van Buren, A. G. Gulley; Kalamazoo, J. N. Stearns; Cal- houn, J. A. Robinson; Jackson, H. F. Thomas; Washtenaw, J. Austin Scott; Wayne, J. C. Holmes; Macomb, J. E. Day; Oakland, C. K. Carpenter: Livingston, Lewis Scott; Ingham, Asa W. Rowe; Eaton, Mrs. R. M. Cook; Barry, A. C. Town; Allegan, M. B. Williams; Ottawa, O. R. L. Crozier; Kent, Wm. Rowe; Ionia, Jay D. Stannard; Clinton, 8S. 8. Walker; Shiawas- see, J. P. Barnes; Genesee, N. A. Beecher; Lapeer, Mrs. R. G. Hart; Sagi- naw, Wm. L. Webber; Gratiot, Wm. O. Fritz; Montcalm, James Satterlee ; Newaygo, Sullivan Armstrong; Muskegon, 8. B. Peck; Oceana, E. J. Shirts; on DECEMBER MEETING. 291 Mason, F. J. Dowland; Manistee, 8. W. Fowler; Grand Traverse, W. W. Tracy. At a later date in the meeting, Mr. S. L. Fuller appeared and announced it was impossible for him to serve as Treasurer of the society. He said that he was willing and glad to do all he could for the society, but as he looked upon the duties of Treasurer there was a good deal of work to do, and he could not spare the time and attention that it would require to make a successful officer. A ballot was again taken for Treasurer which resulted in the unanimous elec- tion of S. M. Pearsall, of Grand Rapids. The closing exercises of the afternoon was a paper entitled HOME QRCHARDS VERSUS MARKET ORCHARDS. BYS oe ae VO Nis There is probably at the present time no more noticeable tendency among the planters of fruit trees than that of the limiting or reducing of the number of yarieties to be planted. This tendency is doubtless to be attributed, prima- rily at least, if not mainly, to the experiences and influence of planters and growers for market, and inasmuch as the supplying of markets is by no means the only object for which planting is to be done, if, indeed, it is even the more important one, it behooves us to consider well the different purposes to be sub- served and the mode and modes by which the society can most wisely and effect- ively lead in the direction best calculated to advance the highest interest of all concerned. The market idea has, of course, mainly to do with the question with what varieties of fruits and under what system of management can the plantation be made to yield the largest and most permanent net income. If a market is to be supplied throughout the season, a greater number of sorts will, of course, be required than if the crop is to be put upon the market in a single lot or at wholesale, but in neither case will the selection of varieties to be planted have the slightest reference to quality or appearance, except so far as the same may be expected to increase the amount or the certainty of such net returns. Indeed, so steadily has this idea been adhered to by many commer- cial planters, of apples more especially, that in regions in which commercial fruit growing has come to be the leading interest, extensive orchards may be found in which at almost any time during the fruit season it would be difficult for a discriminating lover of fresh fruits to find a specimen that his taste would not reject as uneatable, unless, indeed, his appetite has been sharpened by con- tinued abstinence. Indeed, so generally is the apple especially unknown in its finer dessert varieties among our people at large, that it seems to have come to be largely ranked with culinary vegetables, and as a rule is little used uncooked in very many families, in which the idea of placing it as a dessert before the family or visiting friends is rarely if ever entertained. With the wisdom or propriety of selections for planting upon the principle before indicated, we are not disposed to take issue, so long as the commercial result is the point aimed at, for the reason that the great mass of buyers, espec- ially in our cities and larger villages, seem content to select their purchases with more regard to appearance than quality, while the education of such mar- kets to a higher appreciation of quality, is, by most persons, regarded as a hopeless task. We are, however, by no means to be regarded as conceding this point; and, indeed, we might adduce many and authentic proofs of the higher ca) 92 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. profitableness of the opposite practice, but it is not our present purpose to con- sider the question, and we therefore, proceed upon the assumption that the present preferences of our leading markets are to be consulted in the planting of commercial orchards. In taking leave, for the present, of this particular branch of our subject, we may indulge the suggestion that the commercial fruit interest, being so peculiarly amenable to the money question, and withal one of so direct and simple a character when separately considered may, for these rea- sons, be held to’call less imperatively for the fostering and educating influences of this society, since the man who will venture blindly and ignorantly upon the planting of fruits for commercial purposes, may, as a rule, be set down as hopelessly beyond the reach of its influences. HOME ORCHARDS. The broadest field, and one which seems most imperatively to call for the missionary labors of the society, is the one occupied by those who plant mainly for local or home consumption, with a possible surplus, in some cases, for the market, such as the amateurs of fruit, the planters of city and village gardens, and the more extensive class who plant and manage farm orchards, comprising our farmers, mechanics, day laborers, professional and business men to whom fruit culture is but an incidental matter, and whose minds are as a rule too fully absorbed in their leading pursuits to. leave opportunity or disposition for such study of the subject as may be necessary to enable them to wisely adapt their selections for planting to the purposes for which they may plant. In consideration of the immense mass of mere rubbish which goes to the making up of our standard works upon fruits as well as the catalogues of many of our nurseries, the needs of this class of planters demand the benefits of a wide experience to enable them to select judiciously from the sources above named, if indeed they do not, instead of consulting them, follow the dictum of some enterprising ‘‘tree peddler’’ with his own objects to subserve and his own plants to be disposed of, while on another hand so great is the variableness of varieties under modifying climatic or other influences that no such consulta- tions can be safely relied on except when taken in connection with the deduc- tions of local experience. Besides the selections for those purposes should unquestionably be made with but a secondary reference to the points so indispensable to the profitableness of a mere market plantation; the first or leading consideration being quality, including delicacy of flavor and texture, which, for home use, may and should take precedence of beauty of specimens, ability to bear rough treatment, and even to some extent of production. Indeed, to the great majority of these classes of planters so very serious is this difficulty that we may be excused for iteration in part by remarking that even in our standard fruit books the descriptions, often very crude and imperfect, will be found to be so buried beneath an immense mass of descriptions of indifferent or worthless sorts as to render a wise selection, aside from local knowledge or experience, a practical impossibility. Still, underneath this mass of rubbish lie hidden the results of hundreds of years of experience and progress in the field of pomology, includ- ing many of its choicest gems, some of which for ages haye been recognized as distinctive way marks of progress. We have, therefore, no alternative but to subject this mass to the winnowing and sifting process, retaining the grain and driving away the chaff, or otherwise to ignore the labors of the past and trust the tastes and selections of owr-people to be formed upon the narrow, and DECEMBER MEETING. 293 for this purpose unworthy commercial basis heretofore considered, an alterna- tive which we trust no devotee of pomology and no one ambitious of the credit and usefulness of our society, will for a moment consider. Indeed, if we haye not utterly misunderstood the mission which this society has ass sumed, it is to elevate rather than lower the standard of pomological, we wish we might say horticultural, tastes, till instead of gloria mundi, striped bellflower, red and green and pumpkin sweetings, not our orchards and gar- dens only, but our fruit exhibitions as well, shall annually put in the front rank the more delicious and worthy, though smaller sorts, that commend them- selyes to the palate more than to the eye, when tasted begetting the desire to taste again. We could certainly not forget that when a surplus shall be pro- duced it should, as far as practicable, be capable of answering the commer- cial demand, but we would by no means forget the grower, if any one can afford to produce for himself, family and friends the very best, and that to en- able him so to do, so far as fruits are concerned, it becomes peculiarly needful that he be informed what to plant for the purpose, as well as what peculiarities of management may be necessary to the highest success therewith. WRONG EDUCATION, If such be the mission of the Society, it may be well worth its while to consider whether by encouraging, as it seems tacitly to do, the exhibition at its fairs of large and showy, but worthless fruits, such, for instance, as those previously mentioned, it is not in effect educs ating a large class of planters in a wrong direction. Whether we might not, for instance, as well offer leading premiums for bouquets of the finest and largest sunflowers as to permit committees, as is often done at our fairs, to place premium cards upon collections of fruits in which such very showy but utterly worthless sorts figure conspicuously. Indeed, the advantage would seem to be with the sunflower, inasmuch as their exhibition could hardly mislead the lookers on, while in the case of fruits the fact is notorious that many visitors seeing premiums appar- ently, if not really, awarded to these worthless sets of fruits, are thereby induced to introduce them into their own plantations. FAULTY PREMIUM LISTS. We may also be permitted to suggest the query whether our premium list of the past year may not be faulty in the following particulars: Whether the number of varieties of apples (20) i is not too great for a market orchard without succession, and too small where a succession ‘throughout the season is required ; also, whether the society should not in its premium lists in some manner indicate its views as to the number and the relative value of varieties requisite to a farm, or a family orchard, including also lists of the other fruits which more or less commonly constitute a portion of plantations for this purpose, at the same time, by means of the collections shown and the awards of the committee, drawing out some indications of the views and preferences of exhibitors and of committees. In this respect the society has, during the past year, taken a new departure by the adoption of a plan for the preparation and gradual perfecting of a catalogue of the fruits deemed worthy to be recom- mended for cultivation in this State, and proposing in such catalogue, to supply such information as shall enable the planter to select for the desired object by means of the characteristics of the varieties, and their valuable or objectionable qualities as therein set forth, and inasmuch as there is, and of necessity must 294 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. continue to be, a very wide diversity of wants among the numerous classes of planters, whether for farm or family purpose, with or without a surplus for sale, for city or village gardens, for village or country markets, with or without succession, and for commercial orchards, with or without succession, with the added consideration that we must farther recognize the varying wants of the different localities as well as the peculiar demands of different tastes even in the same family or locality, and especially when we reflect that such a catalogue must necessarily become the indication by means of which, to a greater or less extent, the success of varieties in our State, and, as a consequence, the capacity of the State for fruit culture will come to be estimated abroad ; whether we should next act upon the condition that while the fullest prominence sould be given in such catalogue to market varieties of fruits as such, and while it must be held to be of the utmost importance that these market sorts be so fully and perfectly characterized as such that they shall stand forth in such catalogue as a distinctive class with the relative qualities and comparative values of such carefully and accurately defined, this same catalogue should, on the other hand, become a magazine of information in which the various classes of other planters, for whatever purpose, may search not merely for information what to plant, and that whether their needs shall cover a broad or a narrow field, but where, to some extent, they may learn what not to plant, so far at least, as a very considerable class of common, but undesirable varieties, may be concerned. VALUE OF A GOOD CATALOGUE. It may possibly be said that to place such varieties in such catalogue is at least to some extent to encourage the planting of them, but to those who have studied the proposed plan it will only be needful to say that the mere insertion of the name of a fruit in such a catalogue, while its value shall be placed at or near zero, can hardly be said to be an encouragement to plant it, while those who, from having seen such yariety in unexceptionably favorable circumstances, may have formed too high an estimate of its value, will thus become warned to look farther before proceeding to plant it. Such would at least be the result, if proper use be made of the proposed column for marginal notes. having pretty flowers that make up nicely in bouquets with roses, and I knew it could be used for this kind of hedge; but I did not know how very beautiful it could be. Perhaps the close-cut green sward in front enhanced its loveliness. ’his is an easy plant to grow, and I do not think it would require much labor to make a hedge of it, to separate the kitchen garden, the clothes yard, or the wood pile with its surroundings, from the grounds in front. One more thing about trees. I propose that Arbor Day, inaugurated by Goy. Bagley in the centennial year, be a perpetual institution, and be supple- mented by a day in autumn for the planting of ornamental shrubs, vines, and flowers about the homestead. Would not this bring a wonderful change ina few years to our rural homes. Another thing, could there not be arranged 38 298 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. among our farmers and horticulturists, a system of exchange, by which choice plants might be more widely disseminated, and a greater interest be awakened in regard to farm ornamentation? FLOWERS. What flowers shall the farmer’s wife cultivate ? She has so little time! How shall she get the largest amount of enjoyment from the means at command? Shall she order everything in the florist’s catalogue that she may have heard is beautiful, or that the catalogue itself says is so? It is so tempting, that long array of names and descriptions! She loves beautiful things so much—she sees in prospective such a lovely flower garden! ‘‘Man wants but little here below,’? but when a woman thinks of flowers, there are sometimes so many things to want! Good friend, let common sense come to the aid of imagina- tion. Do you know how to raise choice flowers? How much time can you give to their culture? Do you forget that the money invested is but a part of the price—that toil and experience only will bring large results? Look around among your friends and see what they have that pleases you. No matter whether it is rare or not, so long as year after year it will bring you and your children a gift of beauty that will fill your hearts too full for words. Put such as have only a short-lived beauty into the background, where their unsightli- ness when out of bloom will not offend the eye. Some plants only need room to root, to be ready for years together to come with their floral offering. Even the tough green-sward or an ov erhanging tree will not prevent their advent. I haye a lily “that yearly throws up its golden bells in such a place. Observation will give you much yaluable information about such things. Be sure and haye plenty of roses and hardy climbers. How could June get along without roses?—and how cold and barren are our porches without the garlanding of vines! Even the grape will add home-likeness to the dwelling, and if the front is occupied with prettier things, this may well adorn the rear. You will need some annuals. Perennials, bulbs and shrubbery, though yield- ing large returns for little labor, do not quite fill the bill. ‘The best way I haye found to raise annuals is to deyote a spot to them especially, have it thoroughly enriched, and well plowed—where the plants will bear transplanting, raise them in house, hot bed or cold frame—small boxes made of thick paper folded diag- onally and fastened with a pin and packed closely in bed or shallow box, are very good to raise plants in and the plants can be set in the garden with little disturbance—giving them plenty of room in their final home, and hoeing them as you would corn. This may not produce the best landscape results; but there will be flowers for kitchen, dining room and parlor, flowers for the sick, for the children, and for friends. If you have taste enough to create a picture out of your grounds, and plenty of time, you may prefer a different manage- ment. Among plants you may raise from seed, let me name, as horticulturists do fruit, a dozen very satisfactory kinds. I place the verbena first. It is a little trouble, but worth it. You want good seed, and should sow them early. ‘I'ransplant all to one bed where you can see them daily and hourly. Put the plants at least a foot apart, hoe them a few times ea let them run. Next may come the companionable pansy. Give it a shady place and wait till fall or the following spring for full satisfaction. The double zinnia, a grand flower for an annual; petunia and portulacea, for passers by as well as yourself; phlox Drummondii and white candytuft—sow DECEMBER MEETING. 299 the latter in the open ground where it is to grow,—put these two flowers together in low dishes on the dining-table. Sweet mignonette and the old- fashioned pink and white sweet pea for fragrance, and for a delicate combina- tion of bloom and greenness for small white vases, the asters—watch closely for the blister beetle, —perhaps a sprinkling of gas-tar water will dispose of them ;—stocks—look out for the minute cabbage beetle or turnip fly on the young plants, and give them a sprinkling of water containing a little fish oil; for an annual climber get some of the best varieties of morning glories—these flowers you can depend on—if you have ‘‘good luck.”? For a beautiful bulbous climber, take the Madeira yine—for the house or piazza, sow the Thunbergia ; for a summer garden bulb, do not forget the gladiolus, and for autumn remember the dahlia. Then there are the winter vases, calling for grasses and immortelles. I am sure the work I have Jaid out is too much for most of you, farmers’ wives, but how could I stop before ? Of house-plants I shall say little. My choice might not be yours, and cir- cumstances may well control choice. I noted a few fine things at the fair that I should like to possess were I sure of success in their culture. ‘There were beautiful begonias, a delicate centauria, and a splendid salvia, and of fuchsias a magnificent purple and red, the Tower of London, and the queen of the whites; of geraniums a fine scarlet double, the sapier pompier. If there were a little better opportunity to obtain information about choice plants, it might be of advantage to farmers’ wives who visit the fair, and possibly also to the greenhouse proprietors. Hudsonville, Ottawa county, Mich. Following the reading of Mrs. Crozier’s address, Mrs. M. A. Lessiter, of Grattan, took the floor and read a pleasing paper on THE WORK OF THE FARM. She announced herself glad that she was a farmer’s wife, and although there were many severe struggles and hardships to bear, there were enough pleasures: to overbalance these; and if farmers’ wives looked rightly upon their mission and made the best of their opportunities, there would be less reason for the boys’ anxiety to leave the farm for other occupations. She was glad that our State had an agricultural college where the farmers’ boys could get a good edu- cation and still be connected with the operations of farm life under favorable circumstances, and thus, while growing in knowledge, deyelop also a love for the best calling in the world. MARKETS. Mr. Byron Markham, delegate to the convention from the Lake Shore Pom- ological Society, read an essay upon Markets, which is given in full: With great diffidence, and only at the earnest solicitation of the friends of Pomology of western Allegan county, do I appear before you to read an essay —not on fruit culture—for I am not so presumptuous as to suppose I could teach the most inexperienced among you upon that subject, knowing as I do, my utter unfitness to even attempt it, and my only excuse for occupying your time at all is the partiality of my friends, and the great interest I feel in all that in any wise pertains to the advancement of the fruit interests of Michigan ; but especially of the interests of those with whom I have cast my lot. I could 300 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. not hope to say anything that would interest you in any wise about the produc- tion, the care, or handling of fruit, for in these things I am still but an hum- ble learner, and shall take it for eranted that you know these things quite as well as any, and far better than most men. In quality or abundance no State surpasses us in proportion to the area cultivated; in the manner of handling and packing, our fruit-growers are superior to any of their competitors east or west. The “beautiful appearance of our fruits when they reach the markets attracts the attention of the most casual observer. But there is one subject which, it seems to me, has not received the attention its importance demands: I refer to the proper markets for our surplus fruit. Ido not doubt that you have given the subject thought enough, or that you have been anxious enough to find these much desired places, vet I do not learn that this society, as a society, has ever taken any action in this direction, which I believe to be of as much importance as the production of fine fruits. The practice which so universally obtains at present, of sending everything to the large cities for distribution, in the absence of any united action on our part, is the only practicable thing todo. For any one man to attempt to reach all, or: any of the small markets of the great west, with his products would be simply a waste of time and money. There is so much distrust of strangers all over the land, engendered by the often practiced tricks of unprincipled men, who, like the individuals spoken of in scripture, go about seeking—if not whom they may devour, at least whom they may cheat and defraud—that no one man is able to sive assurance enough that he intends to deal honestly with them. Moreover, there seems to be a necessity for some place where fruits may be had, and had at all times, in any quantity required. Hence the country dealer naturally seeks some such place as the Chicago market, where he is sure to find what he wants. And this fact being known to both the producer and consumer, they both seek the same market, the one to sell, and the other to buy. But this mutual accommodation is attended with a great outlay of time and money. Frequently it costs the consumer as much to freight his fruits from Chicago as it would direct from our orchards. Then he has the cartage to pay twice in Chicago, and the commission of ten per cent. once at least, and commission men are made of purer stuff than other men if they are satisfied with one commission. Now it matters not which way you count this, whether the consumer or pro- ducer has the money to pay, it is certain that at least one-fifth of the value of the fruit shipped to Chicago, is paid to middle men, that might be saved to the consumer or producer, if the transaction could take place directly between them. But to bring about this much to be desired object is a problem, as yet unsolved. That there is a demand for all the fruit which we do or can produce, I have not the slightest doubt, especially for that class of fruit for raising which we are so peculiarly well fitted. In all of the territory north of a line running west from Chicago to the Rocky mountains, and so far north as we can get, the inhabitants must depend upon Michigan for their supply of peaches and other tender fruits. This territory is larger than the original thirteen states and the next thirteen that were admitted into the union, and already contains a popu- lation of about five millions. When it has become as densely populated as Massachusetts, it will have about one hundred and seventy-five millions of peo- ple. Will it be possible for Michigan to supply all this people with fruit and feed our own population at the same time? In view of these facts, as I said DECEMBER MEETING. 501 before, I have no doubt there is and will continue to be a demand for all the fruit which Michigan does or can produce. The great question then, is, how can this great market be reached quickly and cheaply? ‘There isno doubt that in the transportation of perishable fruits like peaches, time is of more con- sequence than anything else. The sooner they can reach their destination, other things being equal, the fairer they will look and the better they will keep. To do this we must in some way avoid the delays consequent on shipping them to Chicago, and there await orders to be again shipped to some other point, which might have been reached in the same time it took to send them to Chicago. I use Chicago only to illustrate my idea. The same principle apples to all central markets. My idea is, we must bring other markets to us, and that to do this, we must let all portions of this great market know where we are, and that we have the ability to supply them with all the fruit they may want, and of a quality superior to all others. ‘To do this fruit growers must act in concert, and inform the consumer that there is a better market for him to purchase in than Chicago, ‘To do this would cost some money. It should be done either through ordinary advertising, or by canvassers. The latter would be more effective, the first less expensive. But whichever course is adopted, it should be done thoroughly and no point left unnotified that could be reached by the mails or otherwise. very city, village, hamlet, and country store should be posted as to the time and place, when and where to order their fruits. Arrangements should be made with the great thoroughfares to haye the fruits forwarded with the greatest dispatch, and the fewest possible trans-shipments. Purchasers should be advised of these arrangements, and which is the best route over which to have their fruits shipped. ‘This renders it necessary that perfect arrangements should be made here for filling all orders received with as much certainty and dispatch as it could be done in Chicago. The business there is not all done in one place, but divided among five hundred men, all working for one purpose, and when orders are received by one for articles which he has not on hand, he gets it from his neighbor and fills his order and returns the accommodation as opportunity offers. With us, after we are sufficiently advertised, we must establish central offices in charge of competent persons, whose duty it shall be to attend to all corres- pondence and receive and fill orders. They should be furnished by each of the members of the association of the probable amount of each variety of fruit he will have to sell, then, when an order is received, they would know just whom to call upon to fill it. I would not like to enter into further details of this proposition as it may be thought entirely impracticable, and I should be loth to occupy time which can be more profitably used. I will only add that it appears to me that, beside the advantages already mentioned, it would prove mutually beneficial, to the producer in a more certain market, as his fruit would be sold as soon as delivered at his own port, to the consumer in receiving his fruit in a shorter time, consequently fresher and more valuable, to both in saving the expense and delay consequent upon employing middle men to do unnecessary work, which is a detriment rather than an advantage. The cost of commissions thus saved is enormous. One fruit grower alone in Saugatuck informs me that his commissions for this year have amounted to over $1,000. What then must the aggregate be. Surely, if we could save but one-fourth of this, it is well worth the trial. Mr. Markham’s essay was well received, and it was generally conceded that 302 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. our society could not do better than devote a meeting to the question of mar- kets and marketing. The next address was upon THE GRAND TRAVERSE REGION AS A FRUIT COUNTRY. BY J. G. RAMSDELL, OF TRAVERSE CITY. Mr. Prestp—ENt—The country comprised under the general term Grand Traverse Region is bounded on the north and west by Lake Michigan, on the east by the meridian line, and on the south by an indefinite line running through the counties of Manistee, Wexford and Missaukee. A portion of this country lying along Lake Michigan, around Grand Traverse Bay, and bordering the larger inland lakes of Benzie, Leelanaw, Antrim and Charleyoix counties—the parts of this country first settled—has become some- what noted for the excellence and great variety of fruit which it produces, and the question to which I shall call your attention is the extent of territory in that region capable of producing the various kinds of fruit. The capacity of a country for the successful growing of fruit depends upon two primary conditions, the character of its soil and the nature of its climate. Dr. Rominger, in the third volume of the ‘‘ Geological Survey of Michigan,”’ has seen fit to condemn this country both as an agricultural and a fruit country, that is, that it cannot maintain the reputation it now has in these respects. One occupying the position of Dr. Rominger should be careful about expressing opinions of this nature without first having made a thorough personal examin- ation of its soil, based upon extensive scientific research, and a study of its climatology, based upon something more than isothermal lines and mean annual temperature. L12; .00 | 402 | 2.90 .82 ; 5.19 | 1.34 , 5.28 -60 | 5.08| 6.07 |.-=-22 see oe Mecumseh.,-2-.-.--..-- 1.17} .00 | 450 | 3.03 88 | 4.72 | 141 | 3.80] .90 | 4.35 ) 4.34 | 1.58 | 30.68 Benton Marbor=---.---'|/=---\t sca anes elltoan as LOSs| ABle| U92;) S19 cees 6.10 | 3.91] 1.49 }-.-.-. Ry feeuake=s- 222 2--<<2|<-c-'|,.00 390) | 200 | 124 | 3.60 | 2:06] 4.89 | 2.99 ] 273 |--2-_2) eS] See THON VAC So 2-2..-.--2|---= -00 | 4.67 | 2.75 | 1.63 | 2.54] 1.78 | 6.69 | 131 |] 4.72 | 3.49 | 1.53 }.----- Mendon...............-.| 275] .00| 7.02 | 299 | L81 | 6.20 | 5.54 | 3.31 | L51 | 4.17 | 4.98 | 231 | 4259 Nirvana................| 248] .09 |} 3.67 | 2.06 | 1.99 | 4.06 | 2.99 | 4.42 | 1.27 | 9.79 | 4.48 | 9 14 | 39.44 Agricultural College_| J.33).00 | 5.60 | 4.14 | 223 | 3.53 | 2.95 | 6.57 | 1.38 | 5.69 | 3.67 | 1.03 | 37.42 4.41.) 1.70: |essae— Aviergi gel <2). once lees .02| 4.22 | 296 | 1.49 | 4.60 | 3.07 | 5.02 | 1.36 | 5.06 Average rain-fall for the year 35.47 inches. The annual rain-fall at the Agricultural College, the average of thirteen years’ observation, is 80.47 inches, varying from 24.57 inches in 1867 to 39.51 inches in 1866, and therefore the rain-fall for the year is five inches above the average. During the month of February almost no rain or snow fell anywhere in the State, so far as known. June is usually our rainiest month, but this year the rain was quite evenly distributed through the months of June, July, and August, and the largest amount fell in October. It is not so much the amount of rain that falls during the year as the regularity with which it comes during the season of vegetable growth, to supply the necessary moisture to crops, that gives us bountiful harvests. CONCLUSION, It is to be regretted that observations from the fruit region of the State could not have been combined with those from other por tions, in making the tables showing the temperature and rainfall for the year. It is to be hoped that during the present year, observations may be taken in places on the western side of the State, near Lake Michigan.. These, combined with observations from other places, will give reliable data from which definite conclusions may be drawn concerning the vexed question of our meteorology. R. F. KEDZIE. Agricultural College, January 14, 1878. STATEMENT OF FINANCES. The financial statement of the State Pomological Society, Dec. 51, 1877, is a very pleasant one to place before the people; and as exhibiting the condition of the treasury at this date, the following summary of receipts and expenditures is given: r=) STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS. PMO UM ONLAARC PANUARV LS te LG (aces ce toe ee ee cee eens $169 41 ImMberesthonimmortrage and notes. --=..2.2. 228 22 eo ake tee 132 00 Annualmemberships taken during year. ...*-222225 2°) 35.. 2 22222 106 00 SalerOmpapel Plates ec o- once ee ae eed De eR et ee 5 00 SHEN IS DIPSET EIS eS gh ee AGE fe AE oe al i oh ee ANE EOD OAS iy Mia 2 00 Appropriation of State Agricultural Society for expenses. _--_---- 1,400 00 PR OGAITCCENDES! =e he 5 ace in ce Se Soe Sa ear ee een pete es — $1,814 41 STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES. SEChO CALVES Salat Se sk es seer seae Soke eel ee Ee ciara yee eee ens $600 00 SLAMS StUblONETYA CLC. SECKECALY S, ONC. a9 ee kee ee oe 36 90 IBACkENeVORUScAM Me xCHAN GCS: sao ee eye ee ee ee ee 31 36 IREWORT ORL Sih spat sae 2 oe On rte ee eta ek Bee Apres aiettanAlt hf 31 45 Hxpenses or Hxecutive Committee. 2. 2-2 -.a5-6) = 2 eee on 113 26 IBGESICeMt S) Ol COe rps sete resp ey hore ce ere ie tee eed eB eed Soe 18 70 sITLEASUTETAS! OMICEY nes c8e Ue mene nas ee eee ote cae be eae Seeks 3135 Mreasurer’s last bill (mostly State Wair)z--2 = 222 22 et 84 25 SSUES) TET Oe Pm 2A es NM hes be ard Bie ok a Pina Wag, 226 37 IBremlumiot last: Vat oes a6 <..c. te Cea eect pe ee ee eg ae eee a 5 00 12 ETD USCA Spl Oa sa aI NE Ee He Bap 2 it ail ke ol aid 13 50 IRE DOTEO RS Gers. e215 jo Se. 0 ae EE sae ee oe eT aN av Te 30 SO POMPE TDA SINR Be Pa 2h 5 mira oats Sols See ah ee Peta eRe eee 15 82 iraveling. expenses of Secretary... sees 2o5 fo! eae eels ee ete 16 40 Delegate to Western New York Horticultural Society--....-..---- 32 28 ApPpropriated tow diploma. ..-...-.tssssees sess see ge se JWvehet ahees ape 250 00 AT MLO pLIateaditor MIAtES= 8 oe ee eesti ee ee OE pe te ene 180 00 PMONLOpriaAted.1Of ClASHS. i 22... ucts eee ae Lene Sen 63 00 ROG eROendl tires, i, o. 2.8 one ne ee ke tee ay ee — $1,775 44 Balancevonemand 4-4-2225 5550 SE st AA a es i. Ne abrer ral 2 Wine fe $38 97 LIFE MEMBERSHIP FUND. The life membership has been, during the year, but little increased in aggre- gate amount, but as the hard times are on the wane we hope for a large acces- sion to this fund during 1878. 'The account with the fund stands as follows: Mmountpotclide tunde Jame Wel Silat ate ee ee en ee ee Ee eco $1,320 60 Added during the year three memberships, at $10___...........-----..-.--- 30 00 AMO Fai La att: Saectpe nme dec kliwlets 24UEL wiles en Ul athan ts MAR ede Qeaeated Aids SLA b CJL eae enon, Lae $1.350 00 o9 LIFE MEMBERS OF THE STATE POMOLOG- ICAL SOC yes Adams, H. Dale, Galesburg, Kalamazoo county. Archer, Thomas, St. Joseph, Berrien county. Armitage, James, Monroe, Monroe county. Arnold, W. D., Ionia, Ionia county. . Avery, C. P., Old Mission, Grand ‘Traverse county. Bagley, John J., Detroit, WwW ayne county. Baldwi in, H. P., Detroit, Ww ayne county. Ball, John, Grand Rapids, Kent county. Bates, T. T., Traverse City, Grand Traverse county. Beal, W.J., Lansing, Ingham county. Bradfield, Edwar d, “Ada, Kent county. Bragg, L. G., Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo county. Bruchner, George W., Monroe, Monroe county. Burham, W. P., Tonia, Ionia county. Burrows, George L., Saginaw City, Saginaw county. Bullock, B. D., “Jackson, “Jackson county. Bidwell, H. E., South Haven, Van Buren county. Bailey, L. H., South Haven, Van Buren county. Bryant, C. T., South Haven, Van Buren county. Chandler, Z., Detroit, Wayne county. Cook, A. J., Lansing, Ingham county. Curtis, H. W., Old Mission, Grand ‘l'raverse county. Chapman, H. B., Reading, Hillsdale county. Chilson, Nathaniel, Battle Creek, Calhoun county. Crosby, M. 8., Grand Rapids, Kent county. Castello, George, Saginaw City, Saginaw county. Cooper, George 8., Ionia, Ionia county. " Chapman, Austin B., Rockford, Monroe county. Cooley, Elisha, Jackson, Jackson county. Dickinson, Geo, W., Grand Rapids, Kent county. Dietrich, C. J., Evansville, Indiana. Dyckman, A. S., South Haven, Van Buren county. Dyckman, J., East Saginaw, Saginaw county. DeLisle, Wm. H., Bay City, Bay county. Dixon, A. 5., East Saginaw, Saginaw county. Doyle, Thomas, Monroe, Monroe county. Dean, A. J., Adrian, Lenawee county. Davis, P. C., Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo county. Dieckman, Mrs. Josephine M., East Saginaw, Saginaw county. Fields, Miss Jennie E., East Saginaw, Saginaw county, Fuller, Samuel L., Grand Rapids, Kent county. Ferry, 1". W., Grand Haven, Ottowa county. Foster, W. D. (deceased), Grand Rapids, Kent county. Griggs, G. W., Grand Rapids, Kent county. *A Life Membership is $10. This fund is invested permanently on real estate security. The principal is not touched; the interest only is used. LIFE MEMBERS. Gilbert, John (deceased), Ovid, Clinton county. Geddes, David, Saginaw city, Saginaw county. Greening, J. C., Monroe, Monroe county. Guild, E. F., East Saginaw, Saginaw county. Humphrey, J. W., South Haven, Van Buren county. Hannah, Perry, ‘Traverse City, Grand ‘Traverse county. Haviland, J. B., Traverse City, Grand Traverse county. Husted, James D., Lowell, Kent county. Husted, Noah P., Lowell, Kent county. Hall, Frederick, Ionia, Ionia county. Hathaway, B., Little Prairie Ronde, Cass county. Hanford, Hf. P., Bristol, Indiana, Hayden, Mrs. H, A., Jackson, Jackson county. Ilgenfritz, I. E., Monroe, Monroe county. Igenfritz, C. A. Monroe, Monroe county. llves, Caleb, Monroe, Monroe county. Jerome, Mrs, David H., Saginaw City, Saginaw county. Johnson, William, Vassar, Tuscola county. Knapp, 5. O., Jackson, Jackson county. Knapp, E. U., Grand Rapids, Kent county. Kedzie, R. C., Lansing, Ingham county. Kelsey, E. P., Ionia, lonia county. Kidd, J. H., lonia, Ionia county. Littlejohn, F. J., Allegan, Allegan county. Linderman, A. 'l’., South Haven, Van Buren county. Lincoln, L. C., Greenville, Montcalm county. Loomis, P. B., Jackson, Jackson county. Linderman, Harvey, South Haven, Van Buren county. Lyon, T. 'T’., South Haven, Van Buren county. Mitchell, W. H. C., Traverse City, Grand Traverse county. Marshall, William A., Old Mission, Grand Traverse county. Montague. A. K., Traverse City, Grand Traverse county. Mason, L, M., East Saginaw, Saginaw county. McCallam, E. H., Old Mission, Grand Traverse county. Monroe, Judge (deceased), Lawrence, Van Buren county. Mason, Mrs. Sarah A., East Saginaw, Saginaw county. McClatchie, G. C., Ludington, Mason county. Mann, 8. B., Adrian, Lenawee county. Noble, W. A., Monroe, Monroe county. Pearsall, 5. M., Alpine, Kent county. Petty, Thomas, Spring Lake, Ottawa county. Parmelee, George, Old Mission, Grand Traverse county. Parmelee, Mrs. George, Old Mission, Grand Traverse county. Parke, Mrs. Amos 5., East Saginaw, Saginaw county. Reynolds, E. H., Monroe, Monroe county. Reynolds, H. G., Old Mission, Grand Traverse county. Ransom, W. B., St. Joseph, Berrien county. Rose, D. Forsyth, East Saginaw, Saginaw county. Renwick, T. R., Grand Rapids, Kent county. Rich, Hampton, Ionia, Ionia county. Rust, C. E., Ionia, Ionia county. Ramsdell, J. G., Traverse City, Grand Traverse county. Ramsdeil, Mrs. J. G., Traverse City, Grand Traverse county. Rowe, William N., Grand Rapids, Kent county. Root, Amos, Jackson, Jackson county. Rose, Mrs. Sophie E., East Saginaw, Saginaw county. Slayton, Asa W., Grattan, Kent county. Staunton, G. W., Grand Rapids, Kent county. Savidge, Hunter, Spring Lake, Ottawa county. Sleeper, F.S.. Galesburg, Kalamazoo county. Soule, J. B., Fruitport, Muskegon county. Sterling, ’. S., Monroe, Monroe county. Sterling, J. M., Monroe, Monroe county. Sterling, J. C., Monroe, Monroe county. Sterling, W. C., Monroe, Monroe county. Sterling, W. P., Monroe, Monroe county. 467 468 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Sterling, Mrs. Emma, M., Monroe Monroe county. Shirts, E. J., Shelby, Oceana county. Suttle, John, Grand Rapids, Kent county. Smith, E. T., Ionia, Ionia county. Smith, N. E., Ionia, Ionia county. Stearns, J. N., Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo county. Sessions, Alonzo, Ionia, Ionia county. Sessions, William, Ionia, Ionia county. Sigler, Artemus, Adrian, Lenwee county. Sinclair, W. G., Spring Lake, Ottawa county. Smith, H. H., Jackson, Jackson county. Tracy, Will W., Old Mission, Grand Traverse county, Thompson, J. P., Detroit, Wayne county. Taylor, George, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo county. Towles, Geo. W., Benton Harbor, Berrien county. Thompson, W. D., Jackson, Jackson county. Vick, James, Rochester, New York. Wells, H. G., Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo county. Williams, S. P., Monroe, Monroe county. Wier, Antoine, Monroe, Monroe county. Webber, Geo. W., Ionia, Ionia county. Webber, Miss Francis E., East Saginaw, Saginaw county. Wooding, Charles F., Lowell, Kent county. Winchester, A. O., St. Joseph, Berrien county. Wurtz, Elias H., East Saginaw, Saginaw county. Whittlesey, John, St. Joseph, Berrien county. Zeigler, J. C., Saginaw City, Saginaw county. TNE Xx, Acids of Fruits, . 0 ; Adams, H. Dale, on Crab Apples, Growing Flow ers, . Address of C. J. Monroe at South Haven, T. T. Lyon at Pontiac, C.N. Merriman at Pontiac, 5 Byron G. Stout at Pontiac, Henry W. Lord at Pontiac, Prof. C. L. Ingersoll at Pontiac, LNG IS Dyckman at South Haven, Mayor Thayer at Grand Rapids, . Adornment of Homes, Adrian Horticultural ‘Society, Report of A Fact Regarding Bearing, Age in which we “Live, Age of Plant Influencing Leaf and Flower, Acents, Bruit, ree, . : 5 0 Alexander Peach, The . 4 5 ; Alkaloids of Fruits, C 6 : 0 : Allegan Fruit Pr ospects, a . - A ‘A Man in the Gar den, . 6 5 6 5 American Grape Mildew, 5 : ; Bulbs, . 4 5 Annuals for the Border, and Perennials for Home Culture, Annual Exposition for 1877, . Meeting, Report of Apples and Pears at Berrien Springs, Wse-oneie. 5 ' 0 Preservation of . : A at the Winter Meeting, : 3 Apple Cellar or Keeping Room, Orchards, Prominent, in Michigan, Orchard, Site of an. Crop, Predicted by the Blossom, : Crops, Alternate Years, . Shall we Increase Liuioaes Sauce, How to Make, . : : Trees, Controlling Bearing Ye ear of Arboriculture, . Arranging Cut Flow ers, Artificial W atering, 7 4 Attractive Flower Gar den, Atmospheric Drainage, Autumn Gardening, Awards at the Annual Exhibition, ; . 424, 496 470 INDEX. Bb. Balance of Root and Branch, 'To Preserve, . - 5 : 3 2 Balsams, Management of 4 é Beal, Prof. W. = on the Most Promising Field for Experiment, Horticultural Experiments, : : Growing Vegetables, . - : = Report of Orchard Committee, = Beans, Time of Ripening, . F é : : : : Bearing, How to Induce “Regular, - : : : ; : Bearing Year of Apple Trees, controlling ; : “ : 2 : Beautifyi ing the Home, a Family Work, : A Bedding Plants, 5 5 ; . Berrien. county, Shipments ‘of Fruit “from, * : “ - : Bidelman, Eli, on Fruits about Coldwater, . - : 5 ~ Biennial Bearing Apple 'l'rees, Birds our F riends, Blackkberries, Varieties of, for Central Michigan, Blackberry Rust, : < é < ‘ : : edges See Blackhearted Trees, : : : A : 5 : < : Black-rot inGrapes, . : 5 4 e 3 : : Blossoms of the Apple unfr uitfal, : : Bort, William, Tribute to the Memory of , es 4 Bradfield, E., on Failures in Grape Growing, . : 3 ¢ Branch county Fruit, . : : : é 4 5 . C Cabbage Butterfly, . : : 5 5 : Cabbages Destroyed by W orms, : : 2 é A c 5 Cabbage Worm Remedy, . F 3 : : - : 4 Calhoun County, Report from, i : : : , Campbell, George W., on the Newer Gi rapes, Canker Worms in Lenawee County, 4 Z c : : New Fact Regarding, . . : My PR . How to Fight, : ¢ : : : : . : Care of Newly Planted Trees, . 5 : A : : é : , Cass County Fruit Growing, : : 4 Catalogue of Fruits, Value of a Good, A 4 = < the London Horticultural Society, : : . c Celery, How to Winter, . rc : : : ‘ é Z Changing the Bearing Year, 5 : . : c 5 ¢ Char acteristics of a good Experimenter, : = é - ; : Cheap Fruit a Desideratum, 5 5 : : é - 6 3 Chemistry of Fruit Ripening, Cherry, Bigarreau, at Little Point au Sauble, Cherry Trees, Varieties for Market, ; : : Orchard, the Premium, . ; : ; ; : é Cions, Discussion on, - - : - Circulation of Sap, . : : 5 Classical versus Scientific Studies, Classification of Fruits, by IT’. 'T. Ly on, Clematis Jackmanii, : Climate of the 'l'raverse Region Coal tar in Pruning, Codling moth, Remedy for, : Hlow to F ioht the, Coldwater Horticultural C Stub, Officers of, Cold Winter of 1874-5, Lessons from, ‘ : : Collection of f Artificial Fruit in Wax, ta ie : . Comings, S. H., on Cranberry Culture, . . Committees Appointed at Pontiac Meeting, Annual Meeting, Reports at Annual Meeting, Committee on Apples, Report of at Pontiac, 66, INDEX. 471 PAGE. Controlling the Bearing Year in Orcharding, . : : ; : : : 83 Of Apple Trees, : : : : : : : 405 Cook, Prof. A. J., on the Mole, ‘ , 3 ; ; R : d 89 Cabbage Butterfly, : A - ; ; 3 : P 66 Phy lloxer Me oe : : : : : : : 238 Cranberries, : = - - : 3 4 2 - 401 Cranberry Culture in Ottawa County, : F 3 Fi 3 i 3 ? 375 Michigan, : < A ; - ; ; . ; : 201 Cross and Self-Fertilization of Hine é : : - : A : : 454 Cross-Breeding Grapes, . : é ; ; : ; : : : F 203 Crossing Fruits, 5 é : : : 5 . A 3 : ‘ 27 C ‘ureulio, Method of Fighting, : : c : : : A : 2 : 6 Currant Worms, New Fact Regar ding, : . : = ; : : : 112 How to Destroy, . ‘ : : c A A . . 459, 436 Currants, Plat of, . : : ; é : ; ; ; : : 3 ; 257 Cut-F lowers, : 5 F c A : : : 3 F i : x d 422 1: Darwin’s new book, 5 : : 0 A c 5 ‘ ¢ - : A 454 Death of John Suttle, : : c : ¢ : : 3 4 4 : 199 December Meeting, report of, 5 ‘ : A : : : 5 : : 200 Decorative Plants, . : ; : : : c : ‘ A : : 416 Deterioration of Varieties. : é : : : 3 : ; : . 104, 374 Difficulties in Making Experiments, A : C ; c 6 : ls 26 Diploma of the Society, : ‘ 5 é , : g ‘ : : 282 Discouragements for ‘Tree Planters, : c 5 : : é : : 5 Diseased * Trees, Discussion on, . : : : : - 4 Discussion on the Bearing Ye ear of Apple ‘Orchar ds, é 5 83 What native Shrubs and Trees to plant about a Home, 85 What are the Prominent Errors made by Beginners in Grape Culture ? - : : 5 é : 87 The Mole, What is He Good for ? ‘ 3 P ; : 89 Use of Evergreens in Protecting Orchar ds, ‘ : ; ; F 93 Varieties of Cherries for Market, : 4 AT The Best Annuals and Perennials for Home Culture, A : : 119 Water in Horticulture, : : ; . é ° : : 124 Methods of Exhibiting Fruit, ; . are 5 . ; 210 Rotation of Crops in Horticulture, . 5 A , 3 : 214 The Winter House Garden, . : 3 : A A : 222 Management of Fruit Tree Agents, ; : 5 3 A 231 Preparing Fruit for Market, . : é 5 ‘ F : x 236 Dispersion of Plants, Natural, . ; : : : é ‘ : 452 Disposition of the Life Member ship Fund, : é : : : ; . 65, 66 Distribution of the 1876 Reports, : : : - : : ‘ : 282 Diurnal opening of Flowers, . ; : : : : K é é : 453 Drainage and Cultivation of Orch ards, : : : : : ‘ ‘ : 58 Dumelow ees ; ; : : : F f 3 Dyckman, A. 8. on Manufacture of Wine and ‘Cider, ‘ : ; 3 c 121 E. Eastern Trees, Value of, . : , : : : : : : 3 Economy of Irrigation in the Orchard, : : : : . 7 : : 15 in mar keting Fruits, : : : : 9 ; é 5 . 36, 299 Edueational Training by Prof. Prentiss, : : : : 3 c ‘ : 160 Effect of Drainage on Fruit Trees, . ‘ : : ¢ : ; P ; 6 Effects of Pruning, : ; ‘ ‘ : ; ‘ j 3 F 3 389 Election of Officers for 1878, 5 ; : : i : F ; : ; 290 Elision of Roots, ; ; : : : : : ‘ : : 3 169 a aps the Farm, 2 : : . : A ‘ ‘ : 295 Engle, C., on 1 Pears for Western Michigan, : - : . - : : 92 Entries at the Annual Exposition, Notes on, 6 : : : . : : 177 Errors by Beginners in Grape eulue, : : : ; ‘ : 3 : ST in Fruit Growing, . 3 . p : A ; 5 : is ‘ 362 472 INDEX. Esthetic Culture Evaporation Through the Le eav es, : Evergreens and their Uses 5p Dakss WV ou ord, for Protection, é Hedges, . . - Fences, : ° and Pasturing, . é for Orchard Pr otection, Transplanting of, Evergreen Plantations, 3 Executive Committee, “Meetings of, ; Exhibiting Fruit, Methods of, 5 Experience in Pruning, Marketing, : ; Experiment in Picking Apples, . ; Keeping Apples, Experiment, Where to . : Can Farmers, Experiments, Cost of, Scientific and Pr -actical, False Deductions from, on Cross and Self-Fertilization of Plants, Exportation of Michigan Apples, Failures in Growing Grapes, 5 : Fair, Grapes for, c Fall or Spring for Transplanting, Setting of Blackberries and Raspberries, Farm Adornment, é 4 - A é Farmers’ G: urdens, : : A February Meeting at Pontiac, ; 6 Feed for Apple Trees, ; : Feeding Apple Trees, . : A : antes ay. 5 5 5 Fences Costly Affairs, Fern, the Hartford for Ornament, Case, how made, Fertility of Orchar ds, How to Inerease, Fertilizing Orchards, , A Fertilizers for the Garden, : ; Orchard, . : Financial Statement of Secretary, A Fisk, Mrs. J. D. W., on Sap Circulation, Flavoring Ethers of Fruits, ; : Floriculture onthe Farm, . . Flower Beds, é Flower Garden, Hints for, Flowers, Diur nal Opening of, : at the Winter Meeting, yg for the Farmer, . A - Success with, , 5 A The Way to Cut, : Preservation of, : - é How to Arrange, : What are they" Good For? Flower Gardening as a Home Accompaniment, Garden, my, by H. D. Adams, Forests require Protection, C : Forestry, Resolutions on, . 5 : Form of Tree Top, Fowler, 8S. W., on Manistee Fruit Region, Frosts, Early and Late, Protection from, Frozen Plants, How to ‘treat, A "174, 396 210 INDEX. 473 PAGE Fruit Prospects in Allegan County, : : ‘ “ A ‘ - J in Cass County, . : ; 5 - 6 ci : : ; 5 2 as a Part of a Good Living, : “ : . F : ; 7 ; - 7 versus Hog, . : - ; : - 5 4 - 7 Exhibit at South Haven Meeting, : ‘ : ‘ ‘ : . . 107, 126 Packages, Report of Committee on, . : ‘ : F 5 , 7 126 Products , Classes of, 5 . : : . c : A A : 15] Shipments from Berrien County, ; ‘ 6 : 7 ; 4 208 Tree Agents, How to treat, . 5 A C < : 5 , : c 231 Garden of H. E. Bidwell, . 4 : A 5 : : - 5 270 H.B.Chapman, . 4 : . . 3 ° : 5 27) near Allegan, . : é 0 : . . : . f : “ - 403 as Food, ; ; : . ° : “ 5 - 272 Trees, Where to "Purchase, 5 . . : : D } 3 ; 3 307 growing at Manistee, . c . 5 ; 3 c C 4 324 capabilities of the Traverse Region, : : ; ; : ; , 302 interests, increase of, at South Hay en, - < - ‘ a A . A 402 Fruits at Annual Meeting, . c a 5 : 5 D : 2 322 Fund, Disposition of Life Member ship, c 4 c : < - : . 65, 66 Future work of the Society, 5 5 5 5 : . : 5 E 284 G. Garden Seeds, Home grown, : és ; C . ‘ ; ‘ A , % 428 Syringe, : ‘ : A , Cc : : 5 : , : C4 426 The Flower, . 5 : 5 S 0 4 é - : 4 A A 325 Gardening, 4 4 c , : 343 Garfield, €. W %5 on Landscape Gar dening for Farmers, é 5 F : ; 63 Transplantation, . 5 é é : ‘ 5 ‘ 168 The Window Garden, 6 5 ; . c . ; - 223 Report as Secretary, . 5 é : 3 P : ‘ 276 How shall we eae te: P vie : : 3 - : 5 309 Garnishing Fruit with Leaves, . 2 < c : . é : 445 Gathering, Storing and Wintering Apples, : é : : 3 : : 5 339 Apples, a 5 ; A c . 6 6 : 16 Geological Survey of Michigan, criticism on, ; : ‘ : : ee 302 Germination of Seeds, . : : A : : : - : : ; ; 373 Gibson, W. K., on Flowers, ‘ : ; : , psi beac : : 119 Gilbert, John, Tribute to the memory of, 0 6 4 : 6 . 4 A 55 Good Living with F ruit in It, . 5 A 6 : 7 : c 6 3 - 7 Grafting and after care of Cions, : 5 . c , F j : 5 A 15 Grand Traverse Region as a Fruit country, . 6 A é ; : o - 302 County Fruits in, : ; : : : . 399 Grand River Valley Horticultur al Society, Report of, : : : c A 329 Grape culture, Errors madein, . A bs 6 : : 5 ; 87 mildew, 5 7 F 3 2 : 3 5 134 growing, my Failures i in, “by E. Bradfield, é : : 4 ‘ . 213 Phylloxera, : é : : ° . ° : : 238 vines, planting out y oung, 9 C 2 c : 5 é : a > 394 vine experiment with long arm, . 5 4 : . 0 2 : - 37 Grapes, long-armed,. . < ; ‘ c : 3 : : : 4 5 401 the most Promising, by Geo. W. Campbell, é 5 5 5 4 r 204 most subject to Mildew, . : A : é ; 5 4 6 ~ 14051741 method of keeping, ‘ 5 5 c : 5 c ; c : . oT and Peaches at Tonia, : : é 5 . : 6 A 403 and Canned Fruits at the Winter Meeting, : : : 3 : 4 54 for the Fair, 3 : 0 . “ ‘ c ° : : : : 401 Green manuring, . P 5 ‘ ; ‘ ; ‘ : 107 Greene, Mrs. A. E., on Flower Gar dening, : 5 c 5 : : : 5 50 Growing Peaches for Market, . 0 3 6 ; : C : : 144 vegetables, : : A ‘ 2 : . . F . 2 327 Guild, E. FE. on Preser ving Grapes, : - 3 ‘ . < < : 7 , : 57 Flowers at State Fair, ; 5 5 : 289 Gulley, A. G., Report of, as member of Orchard Committee, 5 : : : 266 Gypsum in the Orchar d, ; : 5 5 - : 5 5 7 ; : : 5 474 INDEX. H. Habits of Birds,” Halstead, B. D., on Gt rape } Mildew, aa ee Hartford. Fern in Home Decoration, Haskell’s Hybrid Grapes, Hathaway, B., on Field for Horticultural Experiment, New Varieties, Helps and Hindrances to Pomology of Michigan, Henderson’s Plan of Growing Strawberries, Hillsdale county, Report from, : Hints for the Flower Garden, : 5 Holmes, Prof. J. C., on Phylloxera, ‘ 5 Home Orchards versus Market Orchards, . Honesty in Marketing Fruit, . - : : Horticultural Club at Coldwater, . : ; : Horticultural Experiment, Horticulture, Yesterday, ‘l'o- -day, and To-morr ow, House Plants, Discussion on A : c How to Water, a : a - Tlow to Make Good Apple Sauce, Save the Apple Crop, Dispose of the Apple Cr OD, - Shall we Experiment? . 5 4 0 to Cut Flowers, . ; Hybrid Versus Seedling Grapes, : < i In and about the House, Inaugural Address by President Ly on, : Increase of the Apple Crop, : 3 “ - Influence of Age on Leaf and Flower, a Plant, : 5 ; . Stock on Graftcs Ingersoll, Prof. C. L., on Orchard Drainage ‘and ‘Cultivation, Ingham County Farmers’ Club, . 5 A A Insects Injurious to Fruit, : - : upon Plants in the House, : : : Tonia County Fruit Prospects, . Irrigating Strawberries, Irrigation, Natural ; : : ; in the Orchard, c : - 2 A Ivy for Decorative Purposes, . 5 = 5 J. June Meeting at South Haven, it Kalamazoo, L. G. Bragg & Cos Nursery at Kalamazoo County, Report from, F Kedzie, R. F., on Food Value of Fruits, "Report of, as Meteorologist, Keeping Grapes, : ; Knapp, 5. O., on Tropical Plants, Knight, Mrs. Sophia I, on Hartford Fern, ? 15% Lake Shore Pomological Society, Report of, Landscape Gardening, - : - : for Farmers, Large Peach Trees at South Haven, ‘Trees from the Nursery, . INDEX. Law concerning Tree Planting and Preservation, Lawn, value of a Good, Lawns made in Autumn, How to make, : Leaves for Garnishing Fruit, and ‘Trees, Legislation upon Forestry ‘and R oad Pls anting, Lenawee County Fruit Growing, P : Lessons from the Winter of 1874-5, : Library of the State Pomological Society, Life Membership Fund, Disposition of, Members of the State Pomological Society, Lime for Codling Moth, Linderman, I. 8., on Soil and Climate of South Hay en, Economy in Marketing, . Liquid Fertilizers for House Plants, List of 1,000 Apple Trees for Market, Premiums awarded at State Fair, Literature of Experiments, A Location for a Peach Orchard, Long-armed Grapes, ‘: Longevity of Varieties and Races, Lord, Hon. Henry W., on Evergreens, . Low Branches for Apple Trees, : : Heads for Orchards, . : ; 5 Lyon, T. 'T., Inaugural Adaress, ‘ on the Best New Strawberries, : Home Orchards vs. Market Orchards, Response to Mayor Thayer’s Welcome, . on Fruit Catalogues, M. Management of Flowers, . : Window Plants, : : Apples after Gathering, Manistee Fruit Region, . : : Mann Apple, : 5 : S. B., on Fruits in Lenawee County, 3 Manual Labor System at Agricultural College, Manufacture of Wine and Cider not Pomological, Manure for the Garden, . c : : Manuring Fruit Lands, . : : : : Orchards, Markets, . Market Orchards versus Home Orchar ds, Preparing Fruit for, List of 1,000 Apple Trees for, Markham, Byron, on Markets, ; Matching Colors in the Gar den, : McGowan, Mrs. J. P., on Gar dening, Z ; Meetings ‘of Executive Committee, Melons, how to Detect Ripe, Memorial to the Governor, by President Ly on, Merriman, C. N., Report as Member of Orchard Committee, on Helps and Hindrances to Pomology, Meteorological Recommendations, 3 . ‘ Abstract for 1877, Methods of Experimenting, for Exhibiting Fre uit, of Destroying the Cabbage Butterfly A Michigan Fruit at the “Centenni: al, Agricultural College, V alue of. Training ats Muskegon Fruit Inter ests, 74, 129, 131, 197, . 14, 24, § 476 INDEX. Mildew on the Grape, . 4 - : : Illustration of, . Mistakes in Fruit Growing, . ; . Moles, what are they Good for? 5 : Experiment with, A : ; Moody, Elisha, on the Mann Apple, : Monroe, Phylloxera at, . - : - Nurseries at, O. J., Address of, at June Meeting on Pomology versus F arming, Judge, Tribute to the Memory of, Montcalm County, Report from, ‘ 7 N. Natural History of the Rose Beetle, Dispersion of Plants, . é Rotation of Plants, . 3 : Newly Planted Trees, Care of New. What is 5 Nomenclature, Report of Committee on Nurseries of Michigan, : : at Monroe, 7 : é Nursery Stock, Where to Buy, 5 5 of L. G. Bragg & Co., Kalamazoo, Nutritive Value of Fruits Compared with other O. Oceana County, Fruits in, ; : 4 Orchard Committee, Report of . A C Notes from, . % Drainage and Cultivation, : Pruning, : é Orchards, Soils Collected from. Ornamental Tree Planting, _. ‘. Grounds of Mrs. Dr. Tracy, c Mrs. Fred Bush, Ornamentation of Gardens, . A : : Farms, . : < 2 Ottawa County, Report from : Our Friends, the Birds, by J. Satterlee, , Over- -production in Apples, : é 4 : Owen. J.S., on the Rose Beetle, P W oodland, on the Canker Worm, : Packing Apples, Palms for Decorative Purposes, : Pansies, Summer Treatment of, : Parlor and Window Plants, . Parmelee, George, Apple Orchar ad Of aa. on Pruning, Peach Culture, Is It Desirable to Engage in, Orchard, Location fora, . Trees for Planting, Selection of, x Orchards, 'The Best in Michigan, Peaches for a Succession, at Point au Sauble . Reading, Hillsdale Co., South Hav en, 4 Plums and Pears at Paw Paw, at the Winter Meeting, for Western Michigan, 4 Food, 180, INDEX. Peaches, Lists of, . 4 : 5 : é - - - for Home Use. . 5 - ; : J Pear Trees Changing their Fruit, F : ; ‘ 4 Tree Culture, ‘ P c 5 F : is 4 Orchards of J] Michigan, 5 - : 3 : Peck, 5. B., on Muskegon Fruit Interests, ° . av bee The Age in Which We Live, : - ; Pectous Substance in ¥ TUS 5 A : t Permanent Fruit Catalogue, Sample Of) 3 ; ¢ Phylloxera, The Grape, . ° : . : : ‘ - Physical Culture, . A . : A ‘ ‘ - Picking Apples, Time of, ayes : A : 5 : : Plan of Proposed Fruit Catalogue... : A ; Plants, Decorativ estes - 3 “ s in the Window and ‘their iT eatment, 3 ; ; for the Flower Garden, ‘ : A 5 E 2 and Flowers at June Meeting, : : ° : State Fair, . 5 4 : ; 5 for Parlor and Window, . 5 6 J : 5 Planting of Fruit Trees, . A : 5 3 and Protection of Shade Tr ees, 0 ; 5 : Young Trees, -- ; 5 2 : 5 Grape Vines, . 6 : : : = an Orchard, 4 . 5 0 ; Plaster to Increase the Setting of Fruit, 4 5 C : Plates and Clasps for Fruit Exhibitions, : 5 ° 5 Plum Orchards, Prominent, . 4 : a C : : Plums at Rollin, Lenawee Co., : c . 5 : é Pomology versus Far ming, . : < . . : 5 of Lenawee County, . . 5 . : : : at State Fair, : - 5 0 : : ; Pontiac Meeting, Account of, . . : : C Prejudice Removed by Thorough Exper iment, 5 ° Premium List, How to Amend, 5 6 5 4 ¢ : Premiums Awarded at State Fair, : Prentiss, Prof. A. N., on Training "at Agr icultur al College, Preparation for Flower Garden, . : 4 ‘ : : Prepared Seed, . a : : 5 6 : 6 Preparing Fr uit for Market, : 7 Prescott, Prof. A. B., on Chemistry of Fruit Ripening, : Preservation of Apples, : é 5 9 9 ; : Preserving Flowers, . F A : 3 A 4 4 5 Progress in Hor ticulture, 8 : : C 2 * Protection for Trunks of Trees, ; 5 c 3 A 5 by Evergreens, . : : 4 A é 2 Evergreen Boughs fOVs 5 A 5 6 : Limits Ola ate ; 5 ; 6 0 : 5 Pruning, Advice About, . ° ° : ° ° : ° by George Par melee, . 4 é 5 3 , Roots before Planting Trees, . c : : : of Evergreens, : i : ; 5 ; 5 the Peach, : ; 5 ; 5 : . : Ornamental Trees, ae 6 é é A : , Grapes, . A f ; A : 5 ; ° Purslane as a Weed, c : : c 5 : 5 2 Quality versus Size, . : . : 3 3 : . A Quince cultivation, . < : 0 ; . ; : S Quinces in Michigan, . : és : 5 c 5 é 4 R. Rainfall for 1877, . : < C : - 3 : 5 Ramsdell’s Plum Orchard, : : : : 5 Ramsdell, J. G., on the Traverse Region, . : : 5 Raspberries for Central Michigan, varieties of, . 478 INDEX. Red Spider, Remedy for, . : . 5 : Registry of Entries at State F air, Notes On, <« 5 : A : i Remedies for Low Prices, . - : : voy es of Committee on Nomenclature, 5 : temporary committee on Fruit Lists, + . committee on Fruit at South Haven, Plants and Flowers at June Meeting. : the annual meeting, . : : : - : Orchard committee, . J Superintendent Reynolds, . - : “ Guilder: : A < : : - Reports, collection of, . xs 5 : é 4 : : Back numbers of Pomological, . - ; é : : Resolutions on Death of Members, . : : 5 ¢ in Memory of John Suttle, . 4 : : J soloing at June Meeting, . : : Response to an Address of ‘Welcome, by H. Dz. Adams, 3 4 - Tt Lyon, 5 ‘5 % 5 Reynolds, H. G., on How to Experiment, : Report of, as Super intendent of Pomological Hall, Richard’s Sweeting Apple, 2 > - - : - é : kipening of Pears, . : ° ° : : ° Process, The Chemistry of the, 2 “ 5 : é - Robins, Discussion, . é F ; = : : A 5 : : Room in the New Capitol, 4 : A 3 : A , Root-Pruning, . 5 : 5 - : 4 5 : 3 : Wi oung Trees, 5 A 4 : 5 : : ~ : Roots of Trees in 1 ile, . P : : : 5 the System of, 5 : S : : - - Rose Chafer, The, . : - : ; . 2 2 A Paris Green for, A 3 2 : 2 - : Hand Picking of, : : : 5 : : : Rotation of Plants, Natural, ; ° 5 : 5 2 t é crops in Horticulture, 5 : . 4 : : Rowe, W. Asa, on Small Fruits, : : ° 4 : . : - Rust on the Blackberry, . . ; : : 4 : 3 S. Sale of Michigan apples, . : Sample pages ; of Lyon’s Fruit Catalogue, : % Sap, circulation of, : : : 3 : : 5 A : : ~ Where Does it AVY inter, A : ; Satterlee, James, on Our Friends, the Birds, : é 6 How to Experiment, 3 3 3 3 Mrs. William on Window Gardening, : : é : A Saving the Apple Crop, . 3 : : x Sf Scientific Horticultural Notes, ; A 5 6 5 é Training, 5 : 4 5 Versus Practical Know ledge, A : : Season for Trimming Trees, .. - : = 4 P Secretary’s Report for 1877, Portfolio, Introduction to , ; : : ; Sedums as Bedding Plants, : ‘ 3 ‘ 3 c : ; F Seeds, Germination (0) ‘é s 4 j : 5 ; Home Grown Garden, That Bore, Selection of Plants for Window, : i : P F : ‘ Fern C ase, - : A : A : F : Trees for Home Plantation, Setting of Fruit, Controlling the Seymour, Henry, Tribute to the Memory of . Shade ‘Trees, Discussion on . : Shading Dwellings with E vergreens, Shall we Increase the Apple Crop! ? Sheds in the Orchard, ; Short Bodies for Apple Trees, . 199 INDEX, Shortening in Peach Trees, z sf Simplicity of Experimental Methods, : : Site for an Apple Orchard, “ 4 ; : Six Good Pears, p 5 i Slugs in Fruit Trees, : 4 : Small Fruits, A Plea for the Cultivation ‘of ; ‘ for Profit, Soil and Climate of South Haven for F ruit Growing, Soils for Fruits, . 3 : ; 6 . Collected from Orchar dst i. : 5 5 A Sour Strawberries, ‘ 6 F 3 A South Haven Meeting in June, : A n - ; - 3 Pomological Society, . Sprouting Apple Trees, ; 5 ; ; Squashes, How to Keep, . 7 Standing Committee on Meteorology, : : : 6 Statistics of Live Stock and Fences, 4 4 : : 3 Temperature, State Fair of 1877, Character of Exhibit, - ; ‘ : 4 ; A Pomological Society, Use of < ; 5 5 : Statement of ‘Finances, : é ; é ; : , Stearns, J. N., on Marketing Fruits, : . ¢ : a : St. Joseph, Yellows at é : : ; 5 C d : Stoppage of Tile Drains, : : : : Stout, Hon. Byron G., on ‘the ‘Apple Crop, ; "Address of Welcome, ¢ Straight Rows, . Straw vberry, the Red Alpine for ‘Children, 4 : 3 : Henderson’s Plan of Growing the . : : 3 Strawberries by Irrigation, . 6 - 3 Which are Best of the New er, Success in Transplanting Depends upon What ? Sugars of Fruits, : 3 : : : ; : ; 5 Summer Care of Gar dens, : : 5 4 : : 4 : Pruning, 5 o 5 5 5 6 : Pr uning "Grape Vi ines : € - : A Sun Blight, Protection from, . A 6 ; A 5 : Sunken Garden Beds, . ¢ A 5 : : < : Supplementary Papers, é 5 : : 6 . . Suttle John, Resolutions in Memory of ; C : - 4 Swindling 'T'ree Agents, . < : A é é é Syringe for the Garden, : : : : ° : : : : 4h Talman Sweet Apple, . 5 3 4 S 5 3 0 5 Temperature for 1877, 6 : 5 5 C C 4 . Statistics Of: 5 n ; Thayer’s, George W., Address of Welcome, ; é 4 S : ‘The Most Promising New Strawberries, . : C Age in which we Live, 5 é 5 A 5 é Imported Cabbage Butterfly, : : 4 0 . ; Mann Apple, ; : c : : 4 : Thinning Apples, . F A . A 5 é 5 : Eruit, A A : 5 0 3 Thomas, John, on Flower Borders, ‘Thompson, J. P. , on Green Manuring, the Work of our r Society, : Timber Legislation, . : : ° ‘Time for Picking Apples, Pruning, ‘Transph inting, ‘Toads Good in the Gar ‘den, : Tobacco, use of, with House Plants, Tomato Le eaves, Singular Proper ty of, Yop-Dressing Oreh: irds, Tracy, W. W. , on Black- hearted Trees, . 356, 480 INDEX. Tracy, W. W.. on Progress in Horticulture, : Training the Grape, : A ‘Transformations of the Cabbage Butterfly, . Transplanting Peach Trees, _. 5 for the Farm, Orchar d, and Gar den, Time for, . 5 - 3 Is it Loss or Gain? : : : Garden Plants, . . ‘ . in Winter, : 5 = 2 Fall and Spring, . : + Evergreens, . : : : 5 Transportation of Fruits, = “ : “ 5 ; Tree Roots in Tile, - 5 ‘ Swindlers, . 4 5 % Trees and Shrubs for Ornament, R : 5 5 ‘T'rees, Where to get, . “ 5 : i Advice about. Buying, : : : : for the Lawn, . A : : S ; : Sanitary Use’ Of, ; = = 2 . : ‘ Trip up St. Joe River, 3 “ . 5 Trunks of ‘Trees, Protection of, : 4 : : Use of the State Pomological Society, . - : Utility of an Education, 5 ; A“ : : Value of Eastern Trees, . : - ; Fruit catalogue to Michigan, . ; Van Buren county, Report from, . . 5 . Varieties, Do they Run Out, . : c ; - of Peaches for market, . : : small Fruits for Profit, : : : Running out, ° . ; ° Vegetable Garden, ‘The, é < ° é : Mould, ; . - : : : - Vegetables for the Far m, 5 : “ : : Verbenas as Annuals, . 4 - Vineyards, The Best in Michigan, : : : Vineyards at Monroe, - A 5 A ; : We Walks and Drives, How to Make, . ; - ; Wardian Cases, c 3 5 - 5 “ - Water in Transplanting, . : c A : . Horticulture . : 4 . 3 ; Watering Trees and Plants, , ° ; é Wax Fruits, Value in Samples of, : ! - Weeds, . < - . - Welcome Address at Pontiac, ' : : at Annual Meeting, . : 5 at South Haven, ° : < Whale Oil Soap for Red Spiders, . What is the Use of a State Pomological Society, Where to experiment, r 3 4 A A White-Leaved Vlants, Whittlesey’s Experiment in Training Grape Vines, Williams, M. B., on Growing Peaches for Market, Winter Tr ransplanting, ; : . A 5 House Garden, . ‘ : - 5 Window Garden, . ; ° A . . Yellow Transparent Apple, ; 3 = ; . Yellows inthe Peach, . . : : : 3 at St. Joseph, ‘ : - ‘ - . bo York Botanical Garden Li wi NL 85 00259 1012 Poa : ; - : SSEEEEE (SEGA id pode Ida P ADC eds PO LAL pre rererrin errreraea SLIDE TILE tia caida Hdd bg Foe o PaO e EE idee waaduddvue dasaddvwddawwrdadiastbeie ds Dita ada aod daa RODS IEEE. FeTTo aaee verse or aces waseeres cael DOr TEES ois PPO O IIAP Ade Pa PA DODD aa OP Dav a a De aod ad dts Dd ODDIE a Ped PP Dow do OPIS EE POOP PLEA DDE loa oa dare Deed aa De TALE OT IIe Woe TESTE P IIT ER OPE IO DE baa IOC REO ORD OORT CPDL P Dead die Ta Be PED DIT IETS Be OPPs DDT Oa PDP OE PL Pe POD POE DIOS eee eee pea Sees sssse fet onsets cect ote oe prrrermet ne rire Sa eID P ale Ja POPP RIS IBLE PDI E TIP POD ees : DPT AL TS Tae T I Aa ba aA T A RE PCD aA De oP POOP OD DEPP DOO PRD PEDO CEE Vilantnlainwisntwnia wile wae nine waa waa a ad bu niniaiaivig wae Wand aware ada a aA aL De ba AC aad ROLLED DOORS IDLO TPL D DCI A ROTOR EDIE EE DE: Wig dina wallow wiatalw am wala ataa fa Wain a ata aa oe CSET a tain nooo ww dw cata ia eal iw a dd AP DOOD EP OGIO " 2 uD ID I doo ooa ae dae Pe Pda ale wT OPP a BPC PP OTE PO PELE EIT TIPE aT IIT s as senate een waaeae AA aaa mei ERI Rie RETR ES ‘Ze a ez z Fe 7. ae , aire ee REALE LeeLee tne eer ee EP eee epeererr eer aes poe * pecantetens te ste Ten a mn rng eng y = one nt eerie rate SPPETe OY PETAR ETBRCeEYS GALCCADS eo otra OI st - : we nte ee ee eee wer? Syoorreserss sticgatiesls.