ANNUAL MEETING. 125 



duced forty-five gallons fron) an eighth of an acre, or at the rate of 3G0 gallons 

 per acre. This is probably considerably above the average. But if the average 

 yield were :^00 gallons, that would give a value of $100, which is a fair income 

 for the outlay, from one acre of ordinary farming land. 



MARKET GARDENING. 



Until recently market gardening has not received very much attention in 

 this county, but that branch of horticulture is beginning to assume something 

 of the importance that properly belongs to it, and several gardens in this 

 vicinity and at other points on tlic lines of our railways, not only supply our 

 own markets with an abundance of choice vegetables, but contribute somethit)g 

 to the supply of the Saginaws and Detroit. The business will grow as its 

 profi fable ut'ss has been amply demonstrated and notably by some of the 

 gardeners in the immediate vicinity. 



GREENHOUSES. 



There are two greenhouses in this city — the only establishments of the kind 

 in the county, I believe. One of them has been in successful operation for a 

 number of years, but it has not been able to supply the growing demand for 

 floweis and plants, even in this city, to say nothing of that existing and con- 

 stantly increasing in neighboring cities. To meet this demand, another has 

 been built on a pretty extensive scale during the past summer, and is now ia 

 successful operation — so successful, indeed, that I am informed that even it is 

 not able to supply the want that exists right at home. 



I am glad to mention these things as evincing a constant growth in refine- 

 ment and culture among our people. 



Perhaps I cannot better conclude this paper than by recapitulating some of 

 the foregoing figures. The table would stand thus : 



Value of apple product 899,950 00 



Value of peaches 3,OU0 00 



Value of peai's, cherries, and plums 3,000 00 



Value of small fruits... _. 3,500 00 



Value of grapes and wine 4,000 00 



Value of cane syrup ^ 5,000 00 



Total $118,450 00 



N. A. Beecher: The paper by Mr. Aldrich is one of the most valuable to 

 our horticultural interests ever read in our county. We have put in concise 

 shape heie facts that will show the world that Genesee county, Michigan, can 

 do something worth recording. The refuse apples in our county aggregate in 

 value a large amount. Perhaps t!iey are not all utilized, in truth, I know 

 they arc not. 



Solon Robinson once remarked that apples were the cheapest kind of swine 

 food. I heartily agree with him, and kmnv that on some farms in this county 

 the refuse apples could be made to add more than a hundred dollars to the 

 receipts of the farm. 



Mr. Aldrich: One item I neglected to mention, which is worth recording; 

 I refer to the article of apple butter, of which there were 300 gallons, worth 

 $300, produced at Flushing. Mr. Wilcox, of this city, made some of this 

 article in 1881, none in 188;i, but will make it on a larger scale next year. 



