22 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



last spray with ns, for the last spray that we put on our trees hurt our 

 fruit more than it did good. One spray will control most of the fungus 

 in our orchards. 



Another subject that was brought up in the southern part of the State 

 was orchard heaters. After the severe frost this subject is of special 

 interest, and it was undoubtedly used in the west to advantage, but I 

 do not know whether we can use the svstem here in Michigan. We had 

 some demonstration of them here, but the representative would not do 

 anything when there was any wind. In the valleys perhaps the oil 

 heaters might be of some use, but I do not think they would be of any 

 practical use on the hills. 



One of the most important things in connection with raising peaches 

 is the marketing of the fruit and it is one thing that the growers of the 

 State of Michigan are not up to the standard on. What are the new 

 things? We had a large crop of everything this year. We had too many 

 small peaches, and these are a positive hindrance to the market. Then, 

 too, many of them were in the bottom of the barrel or basket. We may 

 have them on our trees, but we Avant to keep them out of our baskets 

 if we want to make a reputation. That will do more to help our markets 

 than almost anything else. 



We want to have ]>lenty of Elberta peaches. As long as we plant 

 Bancrofts, etc.. we will have too many small peaches to get rid of. 



Another thing. Ave use a very poor bushel basket. It does not stand 

 up. The basket men are pealing out the side-strips thinner every year 

 and by and by it will be like tissue paper. I do not believe we will be 

 using the bushel basket very long. It is not a satisfactory package for 

 shipment, but the market at present demands the bushel basket for 

 canning peaches. The six-basket carrier is used extensively in the east, 

 and we could use the same if we raised enough peaches of good quality. 

 There they demand the Elbertas, and the canners are willing to pay 

 |1 per bushel for them, Avhile with us thousands of bushels were sold 

 at from 40 cents to .50 cents per bushel 



I tell you the Michigan ]>each growers are not getting Avhat there is 

 in the business for them, nor what they could get if they would only 

 go at it right. Here we are located within a radius of 250 miles of 

 34,000,000 people. We run through a period of three or four weeks. We 

 produce good fruit, but for lack of advertising and putting it on the 

 market in proper shape. Ave are not getting for our peaches near what 

 we should. We must get rid of the small peaches in the bottom of the 

 bushel basket, howeAer. before Ave do much advertising. We are now 

 giving in this State the attention to apples that we should have done 

 thirty-five years ago. For the last few years at every meeting we have 

 had, it is apples, apples all the time. We talk of apples as the king of 

 fruits. But Ave want to remember that we have i>eaches as the queen 

 of fruits, and it is the queen of fruits that we take to mother the king 

 of fruits. It is the peach orchards that make the future apple orchards 

 and it Avill take the queen, the mother of the king, to make this State 

 what it should be in the fruit line. Why not groAV the queen of fruits 

 and show to the Avorld that Ave have the best queen, then crown her. 

 No one else Avill do this unless Ave do. And it must be done by the 

 entire State and not bv one or tAvo individuals. 



