156 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Early Tliursday morning the long line of cars were moving northward 

 from Hart into Mason county. In Michael Fitch's Montmorency cherry 

 orchard the visitors noted that nitrate of soda applied in Maj'- (which 

 was thought to be too lato to produce results this season) had forced a 

 much better growth and decidedly more and darker foliage than check 

 plots, and the acid phosphate had produced a slightly better condition 

 then the checks. 



At Mr. C. D. Kistler's old apple orchard in heavy sod similar ferti- 

 lizers were applied at the same time, the nitrated trees showing some 

 (effect but no noticeable improvement for phosphates. Had the applica- 

 tion been made earlier the results certainly would liave been more con- 

 trasting. The Butler and Plitchcock orchards both very offiriently 

 managed by women were next rigidly inspected and several men were 

 heard to remark that they would be glad to let these women manage 

 their orchards. The latter orchard had a block of heavily loaded Bart- 

 lett ]icars that were worth travelling miles to see. 



The last orchard visited was that of !Mr. Smith Hawley, veteran fruit 

 grower and one of the oldest and most ardent workers of the Society. 

 Intense cultivation and thorough spraying had produced a wonderful 

 crop of apples, peaches and pears in spite of the dry season. 



Lunclieon was served picnic fashion on a high, wooded bluff overlooking 

 Lake Michigan. A short program followed the luncheon at which 

 President Hawley, Smith Hawley, I. T. Pickford. County Agent of 

 Oceana, Kris Bemis, County Agent of Mason, and D. L. Runnels of the 

 Grand Rapids Press made short talks. The Count}' Agents of Oceana 

 and Mason counties were highly complimented for the manner in which 

 they had worked out the details of the trips and handled the large crowds 

 in their respective counties. Air. Runnells, upon learning that a short- 

 age of funds in the society's coffers would probably make it impossible 

 for it to hold its annual meeting in Grand Rapids in December, had 

 arranged with the Grand Rapids Press ])y t(^l('phon(> for the meeting 

 to be held in the auditorium of the Press Building without charge and 

 made such announcement before adjournment. The invitation was 

 accepted bj^ the executive committee. 



The valu(^ of such a tour cannot ho estimated. The fact that the 

 attendance of busy fi'uit gi()W(>rs is growing each yeai- is sufficient proof. 

 Fruit growers have the opportunity to see and judge foi- themselves and 

 they find a lesson in every orchard visited. The \('ry infoiiual picnic 

 luncheon served on each of the thr(M> days and the tramps Ihrougli the 

 orchards offer an opportunity for growers from distant parts of the state 

 to rub shoulder to shoulder and Icaiii to know fellow fruit growers and 

 their problems. A statement by one of tlu^ executive committee, "Mak- 

 ing this trip each year is all that ktM^jis ]nv from getting into a rut," 

 shows in one sense the value of such tours. 



The society was indeed fortunate in selecting Oceana and Mason 

 counties for the toui" this year l)ecause it so happens that this is the 

 only section of the state that has a normal crop of tree fruits. In fact 

 most of the apple and pear orchards inspected were carrying full crops 

 of surprisingl}' clean fruits. 



T. A. Farrand, secretary of the Society and Extension Specialist at 

 M. A. C. made the general arrangements and was in charge of the tour, 

 and the tourists are appreciative of his efforts and consequent success. 

 The next annual tour will be through Van Buren and Allegan counties. 



Roy E. Marshall, 

 Assoc. Prof, of Horticulture, 



