STATE nORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 81 



of four square rods completely covered. Our plan of getting rid of 

 them was this : To commence in the spring of the year with a good 

 sharp hoe, and ever}- timo we passed that way, clean up every thing 

 we saw on the surface. I killed a ver}^ large patch in this way. The 

 Canada thistle, unlike other thistles that trouble us, is a perennial — 

 our other thistles, I think, are biennials. In very thin soils the roots 

 do not seem to get through the soil, but in loose, rich loam we find 

 them from one to two feet under the surface. 



Mr. Foster — Salt brine is sure death to them. It will kill the 

 whole plant if it is well applied. 



Mr. Wier — That is impracticable, because wo veiy often get them 

 mixed with other plants we do not wish to kill. This summer I 

 syringed with fluid carbolic acid, and found it only killed as far as it 

 went. 



Mr. Douglas — I hope Mr. Bryant is mistaken about these thistles 

 extending miles and miles along the railroads in Michigan. Furber 

 and Mehan had a long spat about the rapidity of their extension some 

 years ago. Now I know five lots of Canada thistles in our neighbor- 

 hood, and have known them for twelve years. One is on the top of 

 the bluif at Waukegan ; they get «ut every year : some one gives a 

 man a quarter or fifty cents to go and lop them off. They are very 

 thick where they grow. I had quite a lot in a pasture about ten or 

 twelve years ago. I gave a man the wood and brush for destroying 

 them. They soon disappeared after the cattle run on them. I think 

 the cattle destroyed them. 



Mr. Hyde — I move that we now adjourn. 



The motion prevailed and the meeting stood adjourned. 



SECOND DAY — AFTEENOON SESSION. 



The Society reassembled at 2 o'clock, pursuant to aJjournmenf, 

 President McWhorter in the chair. 



Mr. Brown — There is a large quantity of fruit to examine, and I 

 therefore propose to have another committee on pears and other 

 fruits. 



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