52 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Baspberries arc Avith us, perhaps, one third of a crop. Blackberries will 

 fruit heavily, and grapes were never better. 



Geo. W. Bridgman, from same county, spoke of some of the difficulties that 

 harassed the fruitgrower in their vicinity. Said he : ''The rust upon our 

 berry vines and bushes is getting to be a terrible scourge. It is not confined 

 to raspberries and blackberries, but many varieties of strawberries are about 

 destroyed by it. I would like to propose the following questions? Does kind 

 of soil make any difference with rust? Does not season influence it?" 



In reply to the question, " What variety of strawberries is most exempt from 

 rust in Berrien county?" W. A. Brown said that the Crescent was the only 

 variety which appeared wholly free from rust, and was proving the most pro- 

 lific berry grown, but was not as good in quality as the Wilson, and is too soft 

 for Chicago market. 



Van Buren reported a fair crop of apples and plums in prospect, and good 

 crops of strawberries and cherries ; black raspberries make a poor showing ; 

 grapes good on high ground, but poor on low; peaches had not been damaged 

 so much by the curculio as usual. 



The audience having gathered in, the first topic for discussion was : taken up, 

 to wit : 



GUMPTION IN HORTICULTURAL OPERATIONS. 



Mr. H. Dale Adams, of Galesburg, opened the discussion by asking some 

 one to give a definition of gumption. He hadn't consulted a lexicon and was 

 not prepared to proceed without a proper understanding of the term. 



W. W. Tracy, Detroit, said he supposed that the term, in this connection, 

 referred to that quality of mind which would seize upon any new ideas and 

 contrivances that promise good results, and "practically employ them in the 

 business of horticulture. As an illustration he exhibited a home-made seed 

 sower. It consisted of a tin tube about 4 feet long, and f inch diameter, on 

 the top of which was soldered a funnel, into which the seed is dropped by the 

 fingers of the right hand. A small tin box, to hold the seed, is attached to 

 the funnel, and a brace or crutch extends from the seed box to the arm 

 pit. Mr. Tracy could drop seed as fast as the most elaborate drill, and was 

 sure of distributing the right quantity. It was not a patent implement, and 

 received the hearty commendation of all present. 



Mr. E. M. Potter, of Kalamazoo, wanted to know of some practicable 

 method of destroying moles, and wished that some one would bring their 

 gumption to bear upon it. 



Mr. Bridgman thought it a grave question whether this was a proper channel 

 to develop gumption in. He was not certain that moles were altogether a 

 nuisance. 



Mr. H. Marvin, of Ovid, said moles did some injury, but more good in 

 catching insects, and hoped no one Avould even suggest a good plan of catching 

 them. 



W. A. Brown thought "gumption" and close habits of observation of great 

 importance to fruit growers, but the causes of our most destructive diseases 

 remain undiscovered. The commercial interests of the fruit grower in Michi- 

 gan were of vast extent, and the State should employ the most eminent scien- 

 tists and entomologists to assist the fruit grower in learning the causes and 

 remedies of such inscrutable and destructive diseases as the pear blight, peach 

 yellows, and small fruit rust. 



