SUMMER MEETING, 1880. 59 



mon error is in lack of system and in attempting to do more than we can do 

 ■well. 



Mrs. H. Dale Adams said she was friendly to birds in general, but no one 

 with her experience with cherries would take a great deal of stock in the robin 

 or cherry bird. 



Mr. Marvin said the little yellow birds had done a great amount of mischief 

 for him. They evidently picked the strawberry to get the seeds, but in so 

 doing destroyed the pulp. He had declared war upon them. 



Mr. Baldwin used to shoot birds that took his fruit, but late years had 

 decided that it was profitable to raise fruit for the birds as a premium on their 

 valuable services. 



Mr. J. Brown spoke very humorously of the discussion from year to year on 

 the Wilson strawberry. He earnestly desired that the tastes of people could be 

 educated to a higher standard than the little sour Wilson, and closed with an 

 eulogy upon the Sharpless. 



The discussion gradually drifted into a talk upon the relative merits of varie- 

 ties, and the Rev. Mr. Shoop took exception to the maligning of the Wilson, 

 saying that the majority of people would choose that berry in preference to any 

 other when they were full and of good size, and if it was not for the deteriora- 

 tion of the Wilson towards the close of the season it would be the berry for him 

 (the speaker) at least. Reference was made to the practice of killing birds on 

 the farm, and the speaker did not approve of it as they were almost a necessity, 

 and the amount of fruit destroyed was of small consequence to the good derived 

 from their services in exterminating insects. 



W. A. Brown thought that several varieties might be preferable to the Wil- 

 son for amateur and epicure cultivation, and for village markets. The grow- 

 ers for the Chicago market had tested every new variety, but all had been 

 found lacking in one or more of the good qualities of the Wilson. The Wilson 

 was the only berry which would bear re-shipping long distances from Chicago, 

 and, though not so fine in flavor as some other varieties, no lover of the straw- 

 berry would refuse to eat strawberry short-cake made of good Wilson berries. 



Mr. Jeremiah Brown stated that the Wilson berry sold for six cents in the 

 Battle Creek market, while he sold the Crescent seedling for eight to ten cents, 

 and the Sharpless for twenty cents. He did not see the use of cultivating 

 cheap berries. 



Mr. Marvin, of Ovid, said the society was one of progress as he understood 

 it, and he did not intend to confine himself to the Wilson berry or any other; 

 he wanted a better one and intended to have it, and, in his belief, any one cul- 

 tivating the above mentioned berry for market would grow poor. 



Mr. W. N. Cook, of Grand Rapids, wished to make a single statement in the 

 discussion. When he left home the Shirts was selling on the street for 12| 

 cents per quart and the Wilson for 4c. and 5c. per quart. 



Mr. Shirts said all he had to say of his own berry was that after carefully 

 testing it along with other berries he had plowed up all the others and saved 

 only the Shirts for market. 



Mr. Lawton. — The plane of the Wilson is a good place to start for improve- 

 ment. I like it, but have no prejudices in its favor. When we do get a better 

 berry for all purposes the Wilson will drop out. I am waiting for the signs of 

 the times. 



Mr. George Bridgman stated that to judge of the Wilson berry it must be 

 compared with berries that ripened at the same time it did. Could the Wilson 

 be placed on the market in ripest condition it would be the favorite berry in 



