STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 303 



There was also a box of ripe blackberries, as well as a branch, show- 

 ing tliat it was very prolific as well as early. It is a wild variety, discov- 

 ered by President Brunton, several }ears since, who has propagated and 

 tested it \\ ith satisfactory results. It is no doubt a desirable acc[uisition, 

 being hardy, early, and prolific. lie had a few ripe berries by the loth 

 of June. Mr. Cooper called attention to them; had seen and tasted of 

 the fruit before. Was satisfied that it was better and earlier than the Wil- 

 son's Early Blackbeny. Moved that the Association take the liberty of 

 naming it '• Brunton's Early Prolific Blackberry," which, being submitted 

 to the meeting by the Secretary, was carried unanimously. 



September 24, 1870. 



J. W. Fletcher stated that our President had recently returned from 

 a trip to Chicago and the Michigan orchards; thought that it would be 

 interesting and instructive to hear the result of his observations. Tliis 

 opinion being unanimous, 



President Brunton was induced to say that he had observed matters 

 pertaining to fruit and fruit culture as closely as he knew how, and had 

 learned a new thing or two. Supposed the permanent commission houses 

 were conducted by foir-dealing business men. Some of them were, 

 perhaps, rather partial to particular shippers, and would fill orders at 

 $1.25 per box from the shipments of favorites, while the balance would 

 only bring $1 or less per box. This would account, frequently, for the 

 difierence reported in the account of sales. Thinks the red rag, tied 

 over the baskets of peaches from Michigan, is the main reason for their 

 bringing a higher price than those from this locality. The peaches are 

 no better, but they look finer through the mosquito-bar cover. In proof 

 of this, he stated that he had watched the course of fifty boxes of Cen- 

 tralia fruit. Saw it sold in the morning — it remained on the sidewalk till 

 night, when it was removed to a convenient store-room and re-packed 

 into baskets, covered with the inevitable red rag, and placed on the side- 

 walk again early in the morning. Where the joke came in was, that the 

 dealer bought them for $1 per box, which was the best price paid for 

 box fruit, and sold them readily for $1.50 per basket, besides gaining one 

 basket out of cveiy twenty boxes. The peaches raised in Michigan are of 

 no l^etter quality than ours. The crop may be more sure, as the trees are of 

 slower growth. Their soil is generally sandy and more easily cultivated. 

 Berries are planted between the rows. Thought many of our peaches 

 had been picked too early; three or four days longer on the tree would 

 have improved the quantity as well as quality. Thought it would be 

 policy Yor us to ship our best and ripest peaches in baskets — such fruit as 

 would be consumed in Chicago. The true way is to ship in such pack- 

 ages that the fruit can be examined and sold by weight. The com- 

 mission men of Chicago, as far as he consulted them, favored boxes for 

 peaches from Southern Illinois. 



Deckmi5i;r 3, 1870. 



President Brunton had been furnished with some books and papers 



