256 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



brought out these early specimens. His orchard is on the hills east of the 

 village. The soil is dry and gravelly, with a general western exposure. 



The quality of the fruit raised this season was of the highest grade, and met 

 with uniform commendation in every market to which it was sent, and this 

 quality was uniform throughout the majority of the orchards represented in 

 our society. It was enhanced no doubt by the thorough thinning practiced and 

 by the considerable effort made in exterminating the curculio; besides, as a 

 general rule, only selected peaches were packed for market, which good prac- 

 tice even the most avariciously inclined were content to follow, since they could 

 dispose of the unpackable fruit at the evaporators, which have been erected 

 here during the season. The proprietors of the evaporators (Williams) paid 

 from 15 to 50 cents per bushel for their fruit. In this connection, it may be 

 noted that five or six individuals, as the season progressed, found it advisable 

 to provide themselves with farm evaporators suited to their wants. How profit- 

 able they have proved is not yet disclosed. 



No diseased or "yellows peaches" were, so far as known, shipped to market 

 from this locality. Our purpose is not to suffer, so far as it may lie in our 

 power, this vile imposition on the consumer. There was a shipment, which 

 came to this station over the T. & S. H. E. K., consigned to De Moines. This 

 was allowed to pass on, but our people expressed themselves as having been re- 

 miss in their duty in so doing. The sooner peach-growers of Michigan learn 

 and act upon it that only first quality of healthy peaches should go into market, 

 the sooner will they become masters of their business. They will find, without 

 much trouble or effort, a superabundance of i^oor fruit every season ; but with 

 all the trouble and effort that may fall to them they will find in no season an 

 over production of excellent fruit. As well might we attempt to satiate a 

 healthy boy with real fun as to fill the demands of consumers for excellent fruit. 

 We have only to place it within their reach to receive their money for it, and 

 as this touches the question of over production, I add to raise excellent fruit is 

 the first desideratum with us, and this rules out very promptly all diseased 

 fruit. Our second care is to preserve the fruit until it can reach the consumer, 

 and the third is to procure the proper transportation of it to the consumer. 

 These conditions being met, we have no apprehension of an over production of 

 the peach. Being located about midway between Chicago and Detroit, with 

 the several large towns and distributing points intervening, we are not seriously 

 troubled over the above second or third enumerated cares. The Mich. Cent. 

 R. R. Co. gave us this season, for the first time, six freight cars, fitted up with 

 shelves on which to place the packages of fruit, charging five cents to Chicago 

 and seven cents to Detroit for each basket or box. Under this arrangement 

 the shipper saw his packages properly and securely placed in the car, with little 

 or no danger of breakage and theft, which left here in the evening and reached 

 Chicago or Detroit by five o'clock in the morning in good order. The coming 

 season promises a renewal of the practice on a larger scale and with greater 

 facilities. 



As to the varieties, I remark the Early Beatrice grew to a size that rivaled the 

 Alexander and acquired a flavor far superior to it, characteristics not known 

 by us to be possessed by that variety. The Late Crawford did unusually well 

 this season, ripening early, and attained throughout the tree large size, high 

 color, and fine flavor. The Late Smock, in some cases, ripened up undersized, 

 but generally held its own. 



The white varieties as a rule excelled in size, quality, quantity, and profit. 



