KEPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 299 



October Meeting. 



The October meeting was held at the Agricultural College in acceptance of 

 an invitation from Prof. Beal, and the time very profitably spent in visiting 

 objects of interest there under the guidance of the president of the society. 



In all, the visit was very pleasant and profitable. The impression left upon 

 the mind after the visit was that the Agricultural College was doing a grand 

 work for the State of Michigan, and well deserves the support of the people of 

 the State. 



Before the society adjourned a vote of thanks was given to Prof. Beal for 

 his kindness in showing the members over the grounds and pointing out the 

 many things of interest. 



November Meeting. 



First paper was by Robert Mann on " Growing Celery." 



L. B. Baker asked if a cellar ventilated by pipes under ground, would be a 

 good place to keep celery. Mr. Mann thought it would. 



F. B. Johnson said the first year he raised celery, he pitted some of it in 

 sand in a cellar, for early use. He soon noticed that it was wilting, but upon 

 being profusely sprinkled with water, it revived and made good bunches. 



The president asked Mr. Mann the cost per bunch of raising celery. Mr. 

 M. replied about 1£ cents for early ; but that put up for winter cost much 

 more ; he could not say how much. 



Mrs. Overholt not being present, her paper on " Canning Fruit" was read 

 by the secretary. 



Mr. Mann asked President Beal if he did not think tin cans preferable to 

 glass for canning fruit. The president thought not if the glass were kept in 

 the dark. Some tin was leaded and not safe to use. 



The third paper was by Geo. W. Parks, on " Grafting Fruit Trees." 



During the reading of his paper, Mr. P. showed how easy it was for a care- 

 less nurseryman to make mistakes, but said most of the errors in sending out 

 stock resulted from the employment of unskilled help. Sometimes the nursery- 

 man was pressed with orders ; got in a hurry, and had to take such men as he 

 could get. 



Mr. Jones said while he knew of no occasion to find fault with Mr. Parks, 

 he protested against nurserymen shielding themselves behind their own lack of 

 care or the carelessness, or unskillfulness of their employes. They had no 

 right to be careless, or have careless or unskilled help in such a business. The 

 consequences are too serious. Let us see what the consequences are. The 

 farmer or prospective fruit grower thoroughly prepares his ground for an 

 orchard, looks over the catalogues, converses with fruit men, and examines the 

 market reports to ascertain what varieties are best for family use, and what 

 sell best in the markets. He goes or writes to a nursery, and bargains and 

 pays for those particular varieties. He takes them home, plants them accord- 

 ing to the most approved methods, stakes them, cultivates and prunes them 

 with great care for five, ten, or fifteen years. He visits his orchard frequently 

 with his friends; shows them how nicely the trees are growing, tells them what 

 kinds they are, and is continually looking forward with much interest and 

 strong hopes to the time when he shall get returns in nice fruit, not merely 

 for his family, but also that will sell readily in the market, and bring him an 

 income during all his life, as well as to his children after he is gone. But alas ! 



