284 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Loomis said the rose bug had not hurt his peaches, but had nearly 

 destroyed his grapes. Was plowing his grapes, hoping by cultivation to 

 destroy the worms which become the rose bugs. They were very difficult to catch, 

 as they were very active ; would last about five or six weeks. 



J. P. Wade did not think there was any use in fighting the rose bug, He 

 had six hundred hills of grapes, and where the Clintons are next the Concords 

 the Concords were uninjured, while the Clintons were entirely destroyed. He 

 had tried to tempt them by cutting peaches and placing them within reach of 

 the bugs, but they would not touch them. If they commenced on a peach 

 they would eat it all ; were not nibbling the whole crop like some insects, but 

 made a finish of whatever they commenced. He said kerosene would kill cat- 

 erpillars in apple trees. Take a sewing machine oiler, or some similar article, 

 fill with kerosene, insert the point of the nozzle into the nest and inject a 

 small quantity in different directions through the nest, and it was sure 

 destruction. 



The July meeting was devoted to the subject of transportation. Towards 

 the close of the meeting Mr. Hamilton inquired if any one could give him the 

 points of the Early Rivers from personal experience. 



Mr. Graham said he found it an excellent peach, slightly cling, white, with 

 pink cheek. 



Mr. Purdy said there were two distinct varieties sold as Amsdens. Mr. 

 Peck, his neighbor had both varieties, alike in all respects except size, one 

 being as large again as the other, and sold at nearly double price in Chicago. 



Mr. W. W. Lewis inquired if any one had found a desirable peach ripening 

 at about the same time as Early Hale, as the Hale was very much inclined to 

 rot, and was not as large as it should be ; any improvement upon it would be 

 an acquisition. 



Mr. Graham said the Early Rivers filled the bill. It ripened at the same 

 time, was a better, handsomer, and larger peach. 



Mr. Hamilton inquired what progress the yellows had made. Mr. Purdy 

 (yellows commissioner for Saugatuck) had spent one day in visiting orchards, 

 and found where they were neglected last year a frightful increase was the 

 result, but where they were thoroughly exterminated last year, but little was 

 seen this. Low and heavy ground was much worse afflicted than light soils. 

 Mr. Taylor (another Saugatuck commissioner) reported about the same state 

 of the disease so far as he had examined. Capt. Reid's orchard, where so 

 many were cut out last year, had but one case this year. In his own orchard 

 where he cut out forty trees last year, he had not seen a sign this year. 



Annual Meeting. 



The society met at Masonic Hall, Douglas, on Saturday, November 27, 1880. 

 The attendance was small, showing how soon the interest relaxes when a long 

 interval occurs between the meetings. The few who were present, however, 

 seemed to have retained their faith in the efficiency and usefulness of the 

 society. 



The meeting was called to order by the President, Rev. J. F. Taylor, who 

 said that in the absence of any subject for discussion, while waiting for the 

 members of some of the committees to arrive, he would like to have any one 

 present suggest some subject for discussion. Mr. J. H. Bandle said it was per- 

 haps too early to introduce the subject, for it was a fact that we were just now 

 more affected by the subject of transportation than anything else. It might 



