yl8 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



In my young orchard there are to-day 1,300 apple and 1,200 

 peach trees living. I have a fine crop of apples, but no peaches for 

 several years. In the cultivation of my orchard I am governed some 

 by soil and location. My land is much diversified in situation, and 

 soil. The most radical mistakes made by the orchardist, is in suppos- 

 ing that fruit growing can, or ought to pay large profits, without 

 corresponding care, labor and skill or the part of the owner and 

 grower. And yet to grow our fruits without labor or care is neither 

 right or profitable, in fact our business would not be worth pursuing. 

 If fruit cost nothing, then like the water and air, it would bring noth- 

 ing. No! it is because it costs something that it can be made profit- 

 able to those who have the skill and energy to make it cost them less 

 to produce it than it does others. 'Once it was supposed that fruit 

 would grow under almost any circumstances. Now we know that 

 only skill and energy in the management can make the orchard even 

 moderately profitable. And we believe that fruit growing is more 

 hopeful than when little or no care was required. This apparent 

 misfortune is in reality our gain, if we but rightly comprehend it, 

 and if our specialty has ceased to be so easily produced, and now 

 requires more labor, and greater skill, it insures us better markets 

 and larger profits for the orchard lands. I shall continue to try to 

 grow fruit, anticipating in the future as great profits as I ha-^e ever 

 realized in the past. 



A very pleasant ramble over the farm showed a well-kept 

 orchard, loaded with fine apples; in many instances the limbs of the 

 trees were supported by props to prevent breaking. A walk in 

 another direction led to the Indian Mound, from which a fine view 

 was had of that famous resort of hunters, Lima Lake. 



At noon, Mr. Leeper called the guests to a sumptuous dinner, to 

 which it is needless to say all did justice. After dinner the usual 

 routine of the meeting came, but as sociability was the order of the 

 day, the meeting was soon adjourned. Late in the afternoon we 

 bade our hospitable host and hostess adieu. It was a rare treat and 

 one long to be remembered by all present. 



S,EPTEMBER MEETING. 



The monthly meeting was called to order by the Vice-President, 

 S. S. Gray, at the residence of A. C. Hammond, Esq., Wednesday, 

 September 26. Mr. Hammond has a magnificent fruit farm upon 

 the edge of Green Plains prairie, the timber region of the Mississippi 



