THE JANUARY MEETING. 237 



Mr. Fuller, of Grand Kapids, said that at 4 o'clock A. M., on December 24thy 

 no mercury was to be seen in the thermometer tube. 



Mr. Suttle, of Grand Kapids, said that at 8 o'clock of December 24th, hia 

 thermometer was do'^ below. He thought that the peach buds were more 

 injured on the 22d, when the thermometer was only 2G° below, because of the 

 excessive wind that prevailed. 



Prof. Cook, of the Agricultural College, reported that the greatest cold 

 experienced at the college was 32'^ below zero. Persons in this (Ingham) 

 and Shiav/assee county had reported to him that their fruit crop was compara- 

 tively uninjured. He expressed the belief that severe cold without wind was 

 not so injurious as a wind storm. His observations also led him to believe that 

 the insects had not been killed by the cold. 



Dr. Shank, of Lansing, reported his apple trees uninjured, and he thought 

 his pear trees also. His peach buds were killed. 



Prof. Beal, of the Agricultural College, reported that his thermometer at his 

 residence in Lansing, at 8 o'clock on the morning of December 24th, was 38** 

 below. He thought all the grape vines in this section were killed. 



Senator Childs, of "Washtenaw county, reported that the peach buds in that 

 county were all killed. Grapes, pears, and apples unhurt. His thermometer 

 on the 24th indicated 22'"* below zero. 



Prof. Holmes, of Wayne county, reported that he made no observations. 



Here followed another interchange of views relative to the value of laying 

 down of vines. Mr. Bradfield advocated that system, and said that it would 

 pay every time. Other gentlemen advocated straw for a covering, others earth, 

 others manure. 



T. T. Lyon, of Plymouth, "Wayne county, reported that the greatest cold at 

 his place was 17° below zero, on December 22d. On the 24th it was 1*^ warmer. 

 Nearly all the peach buds in his neighborhood were killed. His experience in 

 covering grape vines with earth was that it was dangerous on heavy soils. On 

 sandy soils there was probably less danger; still, on the whole, he preferred 

 some other covering in preference to earth. He believed in covering them. 

 He believed in regard to other fruits than peaches that no degree of cold could 

 injure them that did not kill the wood. He also coincided in the views pre- 

 viously expressed by other speakers, that a wind storm was the most severe on 

 fruit trees. 



John Gilbert, of Clinton county, reported that he had made no observations, 

 but he believed that all varieties of fruit except peaches, — and even these in 

 eastern localities, — were uninjured. This venerable gentleman exhibited 

 numerous plates of beautiful fruit which he had kept in a dry cellar. 



EEPORT FROM MACOMB COUKTY. 



The report from John E. Day, of Romeo, Macomb county, was here read a 

 follows : 



The apple crop of Macomb county, especially the northern portion, has been 

 very plentiful, and with a few exceptions fair as regards quality. Some vari- 

 eties, however, are not as good as in years past. The Northern Spy is almost 

 universally declared " small and scabby," in many cases not worth the cost of 

 harvesting, unless it be for cider. Baldwins have in some instances been found 

 below the standard of that most excellent apple. Rhode Island Greenings are 

 good, and are the Alpha of all apples for home consumption ; and Canada Red 

 for market. Yfagener is just coming into favor as an early bearer, and good 



