REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 249 



purposes are for this very reason less suitable, if uot wholly unsuitable, for the 

 dessert. To a person of such tastes or preferences we commend the following 

 selection, viz.: Early Harvest, 1; Primate, 1; Red Astrachan, 2; Sweet 

 Bough, 1 ; Early Joe, 1 ; Jersey Sweet, 1 ; Maiden's Blush, 2 ; Garden Royal, 

 1; Lowell, 3; Graveustein, 2; American Summer Pearmain, 2 ; Ohio Nonpa- 

 reil, 4, Twenty Ounce, 5; Shiawassee Beauty, 2; Melon, 3; Bailey's Sweet, 

 2; Jonathan, 10; Hubbardston Nonsuch, 5; Talman Sweet, 2; Northern Spy, 

 15; Golden Russet, 10; Swaar, 5; Red Canada, 20;— Total, 100. 



We omit from these lists those old favorites, Baldwin, R. I. Greening, Rox- 

 bury Russet, etc., mainly for the reason that although in most respects desira- 

 ble in this region, they are clearly exceptionable from lack of hardiness. 



Right here was mentioned the fact that planters do not always avail them- 

 selves of the latest knowledge and experience in trying new sorts of fruit trees, 

 but will allow themselves to be duped by men who claim perhaps to be agents 

 for a reliable nursery, and who may not be what they claim to be, who offer 

 some remarkably fine and wonderful plant which they warrant to be as repre- 

 sented, but who, when the plant proves a failure, are never at hand to right 

 the matter. We must work for good fruit as for any other good thing, and 

 cannot get fruit worth raising which will raise itself. No good plum is curculio 

 proof, and there is no such thing as a pear free from blight, or a strawberry 

 without runners which is worth raising for profit, as all good authorities will 

 say, and farmers ought to know it, and not allow themselves to believe every- 

 thing that is told them. 



A few remarks by Prof. Beal, in a letter to R. W. Judd of this place, are in 

 point here. He says: "The new Russian apples have not been sufficiently 

 well tested to warrant general distribution. It is not at all probable that they 

 will be as good as others we now have. The Weaver plum is a sort of wild 

 plum of ordinary merit. It is not curculio proof, nor is any other plum which 

 is worth raising in Michigan. The best thing the farmers of your vicinity can 

 do to get rid of the swindling fruit tree agents, is to join the horticultural 

 society just formed in Jackson. There is no strawberry without runners which 

 is worth raising for profit." 



The society voted to establish headquarters at the coming county fair, where 

 their work could be investigated and memberships taken. The following reso- 

 lution was then passed : 



Resolved, That we make a broad distinction between reliable and unreliable fruit 

 agents; that we believe that nurseries in this State have all kinds of nursery stock 

 worth planting here, and that persons will be safe in purchasing therefrom. 



The society then adjourned. 



At the meeting held October 15, 1880, the topic was "Transplanting and 

 what to transplant for ornament." 



H. F. Thomas opened the discussion by saying that in setting out an orchard 

 he would depart a little from the usual custom, and plant the trees in distant 

 rows, say 64 feet apart, with trees 24 feet apart in the row. Would plow a 

 deep furrow and put in manure (and stones if there were any in the way), 

 and then fill up by back-furrowing a ridge, on which, in the loose, fine bed, set 

 the trees. Young trees, apples and pears say two years old, and peaches one 

 year old from the bud are better than older. Before transplanting (especially 

 if taking a good sized tree from the woods), all trees should be made to de- 

 velop fibers close around the tree by cutting off the long roots — in a nursery 

 tree by.transplauting often, and if from the woods, by cutting around the tree 



