32 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Benjamin Williams, about one and a half miles south of St. Joseph. Six years 

 ago this farm was a forest. Now, Mr. Williams has twenty acres planted with 

 peach, apple and pear trees, grapes, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. 

 A few of his young peach trees showed signs of disease, otherwise all his trees 

 and vines. weie very handsome, vigorous and healthy, the grape vines carrying 

 full as much fruit as they ought to be permitted to ripen. 



During our peregrinations among the orchards we savv^ much to excite our 

 admiration ; a great deal that was highly interesting to ourselves, and some 

 things, and methods of cultivation that would bear criticism. Thinking that 

 some of the information gained by your committee upon this trip, relating not 

 only to peach culture and the Yellows, but to the cultivation of other fruits, 

 would not only be interesting, but of some practical value to members of this 

 associaton, we will, in making this report, take a little broader ground than 

 that named in the resolution under which we act, and not confine ourselves 

 wholly to the subject of peaches. 



On Mr. Williams' ground w^e saw a large patch of sfrawberrj plants tKat 

 were set last spring on new ground. They were set in hills about two and a 

 half feet apart, each way, and had made a very strong and healthy growth. 

 His place showed that much intelligent laborand care had been bestowed upon 

 it, yet, with all his care and labor he had not succfeded in keeping the Yellows 

 from his peach orchard, a few trees showing signs of its presence. 



Heavy showers, falling at short inteivals during the day, prevented us from 

 examining the orchards so fully and minutely as we would have done had the 

 day been pleasant. 



AT BENTON HAEBOK. 



From Mr. Williams' orchard we drove along the Lake Shore road'two or three 

 miles, then through crofLS-roads, and on to Benton Harbor, making occasional 

 stops and noticing the apple, pear, and peach orchards and the vinevards on either 

 hand. Here and there an orchard showed neglect; in some, the land seemed 

 to be greatly overtaxed, for besides the rows of apple trees with peach trees 

 alternating with the apple, there was a row of peach trees, pretty closely set, 

 between the rows of a])ple trees, and the spaces filled with small fruits of some 

 kind ; thus, instead of giving the peach trees the whole benefit of the strength 

 of the soil, they were permitted to avail themselves of but a small portion of it. 



Mr. Whittlesey has a ten-acre lot in Benfon Haibor in which he set apple 

 and peach trees, in 1861. All these trees are healthy and in line conditiun. 

 The ground is kept in good tilth, clear Jrom weeds, and nothing is permitted 

 to grow among the apple and peach trees. The apple trees were heavily laden 

 with fruit. The peach trees had been injured s mie by the severe cold of the 

 past winter, but the branches were cut buck in the spring, and at the time of 

 our visit they had formed handsome heads and were growing vigorously; but, 

 in common with the peach trees of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor, they were 

 destitute of fruit. 



Adjoining the orchard of Mr. Whittlesey is the home of Mr. H. F. White. 

 His trees were in good condition ; we did not find any Yellows among them. 

 At this place we found a large plantation of blackberries. Among them were 

 several rows of the " Snyder." This is a new variety ; a very strong, upright, 

 robust-growing plant; very hardy, and exceedingly prolific; the long racemes 

 of fruit standing so high above the foliage as to attract the attention of the 

 most casual observer. 



In passing along among the peach orchards of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor 



