PROCEEDINGS OP THE WINTER MEETING. 43 



secondary causes which sometimes seriously affect the success of the fruit- 

 grower, among which might be named improper location, lack of cultiva- 

 tion, and improper pruning. 



This question, the cause of the failure in apples, was discussed at great 

 length at the farmers' institute at Adrian the last week in January by 

 some of the leading horticulturists of the state. Every conceivable theory 

 of cure was advanced, including spraying, fertilizing with ashes, different 

 modes of cultivation, and some even attributed the causes of failure to , 

 fruit tree peddlers. Failures have been noted under all kinds of treat- 

 ment, thus proving that the great cause has not been found. President 

 HoRTON, in summing up the question, said: " The question is, are we 

 justified in planting new orchards? I confess I am discouraged." He 

 said he had thus far seen no answer to this question that would lead him 

 to invest in a new orchard; that he had 200 trees, Baldwins and other 

 varieties. It should be an orchard in its prime, as it is twenty years old, 

 yet it has never had enough apples to pay interest one year on the 

 investment. 



I ask no farmer to adopt the theories that I advance for the increased 

 failure of fruit during the last few years, unless they are found upon 

 investigation to agree with the laws of nature scientifically applied 

 Should the causes here given meet your approval, the sooner they can be 

 carried into effect the better. As before mentioned, I consider the great- 

 est cause of failure in apples and peaches is due to the exposure of 

 orchards to the prevailing winds during the winter season. In my opin- 

 ion there is no subject of so vital importance to the fruitgrower, or one 

 that so imperatively demands his attention, as windbreaks or shelter to 

 his orchards and fruit gardens. All who are acquainted with foreign hor- 

 ticulture are aware that the principal gardens and fruit grounds are sur- 

 rounded by walls or hedges, which show that orchard and vineyard pro- 

 tection is calculated to be very essential if not absolutely necessary to 

 success. Any one who will take the trouble of observation can be con- 

 vinced that where orchards are protected by windbreaks the fruit attains 

 a greater degree of perfection. It is also true that trees so located are 

 much less liable to disease than those in more exposed situations. It will 

 often be noticed that trees of tender varieties often thrive and bear well in 

 such sheltered locations, while the same varieties in more exposed loca- 

 tions would not succeed at all. 



It is an established fact that many of our best varieties of fruit trees are 

 more liable to disease, and the fruit generally of inferior quality, as com- 

 pared with former times. Even if we should admit that much of this 

 inferiority is produced by the increased age of our orchards, as well as 

 neglect in other respects, it can not be denied that, even with our 

 improved knowledge in cultivation, many fruits are not produced in 

 such perfection as formerly, with what would now be called unskilled 

 labor. I think the facts will warrant me in making the assertion that, 

 taking all parts of our state where orchards have no protection from the 

 winds, it is a very rare occurrence to find them producing fruit of any 

 worth as compared with former years. On the other hand, it is equally 

 true that where our orchards are well protected and receive the proper 

 care they have produced paying crops until the last two years. 



Our orchards were visited, during the time the trees were in blossom 

 in 1892, by a storm of unusual severity, which destroyed nearly all the 

 fruit blossoms. The orchards in 1893 had but few blossoms, probably 



