PROOEEDINOS 



OF THK 



WEST MICHIGAN FRUITGROWERS' SOCIETY. 



1890. • 



RECORD OF THE JUNE MEETING, 

 Held in Shelby, June 24 and 25. 



At the meeting of the West Michigan Fruitgrowers' society, at Shelby, 

 Oceana county, the 24th and 25th of June, reports were made by 

 orchardists from nearly all the counties of the lake shore, as to the condi- 

 tion of the fruit crop, showing it to be far below the average, except as 

 to all the small fruits, these all yielding or promising abundantly. 



The two sessions of the first day were very well attended, nearly all the 

 lake shore counties being represented. A quantity of enormous straw- 

 berries was on exhibition, C. F. Hale and L. B. Mitchell of Shelby show- 

 ing Sharpless and J. W. Humpheey of South Haven had Sharpless and 

 Jessie. It is hard to imagine more beautiful berries than the latter either 

 as to form or color. 



W. B. Andruss of Allegan added to his wide repute as a grower of fine 

 apples by an exhibit of Spy, Stark, Jonathan, Golden Russett, Baldwin, 

 Rubicon, Wagener, Ben Davis, King, Fallawater, Ostend Greening, Red 

 Canada, American Beauty, Cooper's Market, and Smith's Cider. All these 

 were in "a surprisingly good state of preservation. 



Following the reports as to the fruit prospects, was a discussion of 



"insect enemies and remedies." 



Walter Phillips: Buckwheat sown in June and plowed under when in 

 blossom is fatal to all larvae, that of the cut-worm included. I advise the 

 plowing in of such a crop before setting any fruit trees or vines, to rid the 

 ground of the cut-worm, which is so damaging to all young stock. I have 

 tried carbolic acid spray for curculio, but without success. No plum- 

 grower depends upon spray of any sort, but solely upon jarring. Spraying 

 is effectual as we all know, for the codlin moth, but one or two ounces of 

 London purple to fifty gallons of water are enough. 



Mr. Meisenheimer of Ludington had recently seen apple trees drying, 

 the wood of this and the last year's growth drying up, having grown only 

 an inch this season, Talman seeming to be the worst of all. The wood 

 turns black. No one had seen the same or could suggest a remedy. 



