REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 247 



poor one, if a person will only attend the meetings of the horticultural society 

 and exchange ideas with others as to the hest kinds to raise. [Laughter.] The 

 President Lincoln is one of the largest, some specimens having been raised as 

 large as 7^- inches in circumference. It hears a fine ovate berry, with high 

 color and rich sweet flavor. It is spoken of very highly. Mr. Crawford, of 

 Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, raises this berry to perfection, and keeps the plants for 

 sale. It needs a strong soil. The Sharpless is also a wonderful bearer and 

 very large — one of the most promising of new varieties, and succeeds well in 

 all soils. The Cumberland Triumph is a uniformly fine bearer, a little more 

 tart than the preceding and not quite up to them in flavor. Of early berries 

 to ripen about the 5th to 10th of June, we have the Duchess, a heavy bearer 

 and perfectly hardy; the Duncan, not quite so good, and bearing very few 

 runners; The Pioneer, one of the finest; the Cinderella, new here, but highly 

 spoken of at the East, etc. For late berries the Glendale and Kentucky are 

 of great promise. The Wilson's Albany is a berry valuable only for market 

 use, its great productiveness and good keeping qualities in transportation giving 

 it a place here ; but for home use it is far inferior to the kinds already named. 



The cultivation during late summer probably does more good than any 

 mulching can. Grass is not a good substitute for straw, as it is apt to steam 

 and decay and thus mildew the plants. Fermentation around the plants is not 

 good, so that well rotted manure that will crumble in the hand like dirt is 

 essential. Watering with solutions of guano or phosphates is also good, and 

 also applications of ashes or salt in small quantities. Deep cultivation and 

 good drainage are necessary. 



The question was asked if watering was beneficial, and the general opinion 

 was that it was not, unless the ground is well soaked occasionally, or unless 

 irrigation is resorted to, as practiced by Mr. Dunckly of Kalamazoo (whose 

 method is described in the report of the Michigan Pomological Society for 

 1879, p. 334). The enemies of the strawberry are not very numerous here. 

 Some places are infested with the grub, which destroys the fibrous roots, and 

 can only be fought successfully by digging it out and destroying. Ants are also 

 sometimes troublesome ; brine will kill them. 



The discussion then turned upon the care of turf and lawns, and some 

 remarks were made as to some of the fine new geraniums, Cremeo, Mme. 

 Thibeau, Arthusa, Gen. Grant, etc., and their culture, and the society then 

 t;djourned. 



The next meeting was held at President Gibson's house, May 14th, of which, 

 as the Secretary did not attend it, no record was kept. 



The next meeting occurred June 11, 1880. The discussion opened on the 

 care of small fruits, and the evening was spent in a general quizzing by every- 

 body present, which brought out many interesting methods and processes. 

 Plants receive fully 94 per cent of their nourishment from the gases in the air, 

 as absorbed through the leaves. A mixture of salt, wood ashes, and lime is 

 beneficial as a dressing for lawns. Wood ashes are stated to contain more ele- 

 ments necessary to the growth of plants than any other one substance. 



Some interesting statements were made by Mr. Gibson relative to the anal- 

 ogy existing between plants and animals as to the treatment of their diseases, 

 and as to feeling, instinct, sound, respiration, etc. If a cup of water or a mass 

 of rich plant food be placed at a little distance from a plant, its roots will, as 

 if actuated by instinct, reach out towards and into the nourishing material. 

 The value of ammonia water, glue water, plaster, etc., for plants was spoken 

 of. The care of roses was next discussed. They need cool, moist air in which 



