WEST MICHIGAN FRUITGROWERS SOCIETY. 339 



to grow fniit of any kind sufficient for their own supply. I would like 

 information as to their success in growing so-called "iron-clad" apples. 



T. T. Lyon : Experiments have long been in progress, and are still so 

 in growing Russian fruits in the western states, but as yet they are experi- 

 ments only. The original governmental importations were from the 

 Dceanic regions of Russia, and their fate is held to be not a fair comparison 

 with results possible from later arrivals from the southeastern interior of 

 Russia. There have been among the latter, apples, cherries, and pears. 

 It is thought the plains of southeastern Russia have a climate more likely 

 to afford sorts that will he successful in our west and northwest. In his 

 late importations, Prof. Budd says, there is an abundance of kinds likely 

 to become long-keepers. Some of these apple trees are mere bushes, com- 

 pared to our own. The problem can not be solved for some years to come. 

 Commercial fruitgrowers have long sought for varieties which would 

 yield the most bushels. Now, southern fruits — the oranges, Japanese 

 persimmons, bananas, etc. — will continually be in competition with our 

 fruits, and our success must come, if at all, in improving quality and con- 

 dition in market. There is no doubt of our success in competition if we 

 pay due attention to these particulars. 



Mr. Lannin: How do our soils compare with those of southeast Russia? 



Mr. Lyon: Perhaps they have a greater variety of soil in Russia than 

 in our prairie states; and there are peculiarities of soil and climate here 

 that influence and change even our own varieties, increasing them in 

 size and decreasing them in color and quality as we go west and southwest, 

 and most of them grow sweeter. This also inclines still more to the 

 opinion that our own continued success is possible with our best varieties. 



Mr. Hurlbut: Is it not a fact that all prairie regions are unadapted 

 to growth of the apple tree as well as the pear? The region east of lakes 

 Superior and Michigan is to be the producing region of the pear for all 

 time. 



Mr. Lannin: They have been making these importations on account of 

 climate. Now, will not the soil exert an influence upon them ? Northern 

 Russia soil is entirely different from that of our praries, and I do not 

 think these Russian fruits will ever succeed there. 



Mr. Lyon : There is very much in the matter of soil, that can only be 

 determined by further time; but if they can get sorts that can stand the 

 climate there can be no doubt as to the soil. 



"Insect enemies and remedies" was, as usual, a topic provocative of 

 animated discussion. 



Mr. J. G. Ramsdell said: Of all our competitors the insects are the 

 strongest, most numerous, and most industrious. Competition in market is 

 no comparison to it. Insect enemies are so numerous and so hard to 

 combat, and so many fruitgrowers do but little against them, that we are 

 almost vanquished by them. On this account our apples have a bad name 

 in the market. I once spoke to a Chic%o commission merchant about the 

 comparative merits of apples from the south and from South Haven. He 

 replied, "South Haven has a pretty good reputation for other sorts of fruit, 

 but as to apples from there — well, we don't want them." We have as 

 many insect enemies of other fruits as of the apple. They are here to 

 stay, and unless we have more general repression of them we shall fail ; 

 while, once rid of them, we have no other competitor to fear. We have 

 beaten the currant worms. We had millions of them and now but 

 hundreds. Hellebore and Paris green finished them. If this success was 



