280 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



inquired which had paid best generally, early or late peaches ? Mr. Purdy said 

 the medium ones had paid him best; Old Mixon free was his most profitable 

 variety. Mr. Taylor inquired what difference there was between Old Mixous 

 and Stump-the-world. Mr. Cummings said there was but little difference. 

 He made a collection for the meeting of the State Society at Saginaw, among 

 which was Old Mixon and Stump-the-world. They were mixed up in going, 

 and he could not tell which was which. He arranged them as best he could, 

 and no one disputed his names of varieties. Secretary said nurserymen in their 

 descriptive catalogues made the difference in the time of ripening, the Stump 

 being the later peach by about two weeks. 



Mr. Thos. Gray had some excellent and profitable peaches, bought for Old 

 Mixon free ; Mr. Hopkins of South Haven, a practical nurseryman, had ex- 

 amined them, and pronounced them Sweetwater. He had others, also bought 

 for Old Mixons, but entirely different and quite inferior, which Mr. Hopkins 

 pronounced genuine Old Mixons. After the Sweetwater (if that was their 

 name), he preferred the Smock. Hill's Chili had not been successful with him. 

 Mountain Rose was a fine peach, but small. Preferred Hale's Early; believed 

 them to be more profitable. The Rose ripens right after the Hales. 



With regard to over production, he would say that in the township of Sauga- 

 tuck, there were 1,200 acres set to peach trees, and 400 acres in full bearing; 

 when all were in full bearing, it would make 120,000 trees, which at five bas- 

 kets to a tree, would make 600,000 per year, for this township alone. It is 

 estimated that there are 600, 0C0 trees in western Allegan and Van Buren 

 counties, which at the same rate, would give an annual production of 3,000,000 

 baskets. If we could have the market to ourselves, we would still be all right, 

 but if the rest of the State can produce a like amount, he did not know what could 

 be done with them. Mr. Hamilton was very much interested in this discussion. 

 It pointed out the danger of depending too implicitly on names, and showed 

 the necessity of care on the part of both fruit growers and nurserymen. 

 Nurserymen were often blamed about varieties, when perhaps they furnished 

 the varities called for, as understood by them. 



Mr. Hamilton moved, and it was voted, that the President appoint a com- 

 mittee of six to represent this society at the meeting of the State Society at 

 Allegan. 



The president appointed Byron Markham, Thos. Gray, J. S. Owen, A. 

 Hamilton, and P. Purdy. The committee were instructed to oppose any 

 change of name for the State Pomological Society. 



January Meeting, 1880. 



The subject of fertilizers was discussed. Mr. Loornis, of Ganges, said many 

 were setting out orchards on poor and worn-out soils, and believed they would 

 regret it. Too much was required of the land. Such land might bring the 

 trees up to the time of fruiting but would not give good results in the quantity 

 or quality of fruit. Fruit grown on such land was very apt to drop before it 

 was ripe. 



S. R. Lewis said he had noticed orchards planted on poor soil, but had 

 not noticed that fruit dropped any more than on other trees. 

 |f,Mr. Loornis said that on his farm, where he had planted trees on exhausted 

 soil, the trees had not done well, and as soon as they arrived at fruiting age 

 bore light crops of inferior fruit. The old trees on the same soil did better 

 than young ones. It required just as good soil to raise fruit as it did to raise 



