314 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



the top of the sqow. The bark finally dried up at that point and the trees 

 died. They remained alive at the top and bottom for some time after the 

 freezing. They all did well vintil that winter and all but five or six froze 

 out that winter. They were said to be hardy trees, some of them Russian 

 apples. I have thirty cherry trees that I set out about the same time, the 

 common red cherries, and they look well but had no cherries on last year. 

 My land is level and of medium quality. On the hills fruit does better, 

 Ked raspberries, grow wild in the woods and are very nice. 



Mr Love : I have found but one apple that we could say was perfectly hardy. 

 It is the Transcendent crab apple. It grows about the size of a common 

 hen's egg and has red cheeks on one side. It is a good cooking apple, and, 

 for a person who is fond of sour apples, it is a very good eating apple. I 

 have one, and through each of the cold winters we have had for the last four 

 years it has come out perfect. I have dead stumps of the Duchess of Olden- 

 burgh, Red Astrachan, Mann, Wealthy, Ben Davis and even of the Fameuse or 

 Snow, though they did better than most varieties. On our highest hills 

 many of these fruits will grow and sometimes even peaches. 



Pres. Willits: Prof. Bailey, professor of horticulture at the Agricultural 

 <Jollege, has begun a line of experiments in regard to hardy peaches and other 

 fruits. He wants to find a peach that will live even in Northern Michigan. 

 He believes that apple trees and peach trees which will furnish good, 

 decent fruit can be raised here. Last winter he went north beyond Manistee 

 to study the subject. And our hope is, if we succeed in getting the appro- 

 priation I shall speak to you about before I close, to have an experimental 

 farm right here. We must get a tree that will be hardy here; we have got 

 to do it, and to that end it ghould be developed here. Another thing for such an 

 experimental farm would be the study of the best grasses for your country. 

 These things need to be worked at right here. There are thousands of acre^' 

 here that have been cried down in the southern part of this State, and I don't 

 believe but that there is some virtue in them, and we want to prove it. The 

 college farm is a very poor one for peaches; I don't know but experiments 

 there with peaches would be as well as here. I think there is no peach that 

 is cultivated thus far in Michigan that will stand our climate safely, but we 

 yet hope to see such a peach. 



Mr. Love : Have you tried the Weaver peach? 



Dr. Beal : I think not. 



The chairman here appointed the committee on resolutions, and also a 

 committee to consider the formation of an agricultural society; whereupon 

 the meeting adjourned until afternoon. 



Afternoon Session. 



Mr. Van Buskirk, of Harrisville, Alcona county, presented the following 

 paper on 



THE CULTIVATION OF FINE STUMP LA.NDS. 

 Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen — I consent to make the attempt 



