150 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



vidual will iiuiko uj) liis mind to attend the fair, to ^o there and put on exhi- 

 bition sonic article, make up his mind not to show for a premium, but for the 

 benefit of the whole. 



Mr. Glyddcn, of Paw Paw. — The fair at Paw Paw has a good reputation. The 

 board of the fair has been for years a permanent one. lie believed that fairs 

 would stimuhite afrriculture. He did not believe in horse trots. 



Mr. Sparks. — Thought that the primary object of an agricultural fair had 

 been lost sight of. If I am correct the fair should be made to include all ob- 

 jects of interest to the farmer. It should show the progress in the mechanic 

 arts and in agriculture. Now, the fact is, that our fairs are all horse, a fevr 

 pumpkins — perhaps two, a few apples. I do not believe the race horse to be 

 of any value to a farmer (especially if he has boys.) Now I believe a strictly 

 agricultural fair would be a success. If the race horse that is not worth two 

 coppers for any one else or for anything else were excluded. 



Mr. Mars. — Was sure that the fair could not be made a success without a 

 horse race. 



Mr. Helmic. — Said that he thought that the value of the horse race to the 

 fair was exaggerated. The premiums for speed are much too great. 



FORENOON SESSION. 

 The session was opened by Dr. J. M. Roe, who read the following paper on 



FKUIT ON THE FARM. 



"Fruit on the Farm," the subject assigned me for investigation, is rather 

 an extensive theme for one essay, and especially by one not accustomed to 

 ■writing on that subject, or in fact anything else relating to farming. But 

 having some knowledge of one branch of the subject, both theoretical and 

 practical, I shall confine myself mainly to the orchard, or apples on the farm. 



Apples, like all other farm products, cannot be grown successfully without 

 work; and the work, even more than in other branches of agriculture, should 

 be guided by knowledge. An apple tree is not like a weed; it will not grow 

 and bring its fruit to perfection without care or attention. I believe the work 

 should commence before the tree begins its life, in the selection of the seeds 

 which produce the roots for grafting. I believe the root affects, to some extent 

 at least, the quality of the fruit. I am sure it affects the quality and growth 

 of the tree. There is probably as much difference in the manner of growth 

 and general outline of the underground part of a tree as of the part above 

 ground. The manner in which seeds are obtained for growing roots for graft- 

 ing is about the worst imaginable. They are all, or nearly all, obtained from 

 cider makers. They are the seeds of the poorest varieties of apples and the 

 poorest quality of their class. The unripe, windfalls, wormy, rotten, scabby, 

 ill-shaped apples are mostly used for making cider, and the seeds of which are 

 used for raising seedlings for grafting. A better plan, I think, Avould be to 

 save the seeds of the best varieties from the most perfect trees, and the best 

 apples of these varieties and trees. 



And the work of growing trees for the orchard should be commenced by the 

 nurseryman as soon as the graft commences to grow. Even before the grafting 

 is done care should be used not only in selecting the scions, but also the roots. 



