PROCEEDINGS OF THE SUMMER MEETING, 



HELD AT DEVIL'S LAKE, LENAWEE COUNTY, JULY 23 AND 24, 1889. 



On the banks of the large and picturesque body of water with this 

 unlovely name, was held the summer meeting, upon invitation of the Len- 

 awee County Horticultural society. The place of meeting was a beautiful 

 grove of second-growth oaks, on the south bank of the lake, which was all 

 that a grove could be to such a gathering ; but some of the sessions were 

 held in Beardslee's hotel, the weather lacking considerable of the usual 

 ardent July warmth. 



The dates had been selected as ones likely to be after completion of the 

 wheat harvest ; but, owing to the unusually late season, we struck the mid- 

 dle of that busy time, and hence the attendance was light at some of the 

 sessions. So few were present in the morning that it was deemed best to 

 postpone the opening till afternoon, when the attendance was fairly good. 



Mr. B. I. Laing of Adrian made an address of welcome, setting forth 

 the unfavorable conditions above referred to ; and spoke of the general 

 lack of a sufficient supply of fruit and vegetables upon farmers' tables, a 

 fault which, he thought, was decreasing in extent. He was briefly 

 responded to by President Lyon. 



STONE FEUITS IN LENAWEE COUNTY. 



D. G. Edmiston of Adrian: I began with enthusiasm to grow peaches 

 but suddenly and unexpectedly went out of the business — and in the winter 

 time, too. Three or four years ago I began spraying plums with London 

 purple, for the curculio. At first I thought I had struck just the right 

 thing; but the next year it was not so good and the following one it seemed 

 worthless. This may have been caused by the poison washing off. I have 

 only one variety which holds its fruit, the Shropshire Damson. Some lose 

 their fruit by the curculio, some by rotting. I have practiced spraying 

 upon all fruits except berries, and am on the whole greatly pleased, though 

 doubting its efficacy upon plums. My cherries were this year sound and 

 perfect; but so were those of others who did not spray at all. Curculio do 

 not trouble my peaches much. At first I hurt the foliage, but latterly I 

 reduced the strength of the solution to one pound to 200 or 250 gallons of 

 water. 



Others said they found 250 to 300 gallons none to much ; and one grower 

 thought the poison caused cherries to crack. 



President Lyon: If good results come from spraying for the curciilio, it 

 must by the eating of the foliage, if the mature insect is affected; or if the 



