42 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



any seed you can buy. There will have been only a little extra labor, 

 while the direct benefit will be great, besides the pleasure derived. 



In answer to a question. Prof. Tkacy said there is no difference in the 

 value of the grains of corn upon the same ear. It is the potency of the 

 plant, not the size of the grains or fruits, which determines the matter. 

 In this Dr. Beal concurred. 



CAUSES OF SUCCESS OR FAILURE IN FRUITGROWING. 



BY C. P. CHIDESTER OF BATTLE CREEK. 



I have had some vf^ry dearly bought experience, and if I can feel 

 assured that by giving it to others I can prevent them from making 

 some of the mistakes I made, I shall feel that the duty we owe each 

 other has been partially performed. 



When we see how prominent a place fruit occupies in the economy of 

 nature, and how much care and attention are given to its cultivation and 

 improvement, we believe a wise Providence designed that we should use 

 it in every way conducive to our health and happiness. 



The value of ripe fruit in preventing disease and promoting health can 

 hardly be overestimated. Ripe fruit is one of the greatest blessings nature 

 bestows upon mankind, and the pleasures and benefits to be derived from 

 its use should be more forcibly impressed upon the minds of our people. 

 Apples, in the years past, used to stand at the head as the most useful 

 kind of fruit. But their widespread failure during the last few years has 

 led the horticulturists all over our country to enquire for the causes which 

 have produced this failure. The sales of apples in Michigan, in 1888, 

 amounted to over three millions of dollars. When we consider that vast 

 quantities of other kinds of fruit are produced in Michigan, we can readily 

 see that the fruit interest ranks well with other interests of the state. 

 While in the aggregate the amount of fruit shipped from this state is 

 very large, it must be evident to most of you that success in fruitgrowing 

 is far from being general among the farmers of this state. All who have 

 lived here forty years can look back to the time when apples, peaches, and 

 plums grew almost spontaneously over the inhabited portions of Michigan. 



But what a change has taken place! The fact is, nearly one half of the 

 farmers in certain localities have to buy these fruits or go without them. 

 Now, there must be reasons why we can not grow fruit to the same perfec- 

 tion as in former times. There are three main reasons, in my estimation, 

 why fruitgrowing so often proves a failure. The first and greatest cause 

 of failure is insufficient protection by a lack of windbreaks. The second 

 is insufficient protection against fungous diseases and insect enemies. 

 The third cause is the lack of proper fertility in the soil. There are 



