274 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Sneafchen. — It will be noticed that all the favorable reports for peachee 

 made here to-day come from the highest altitudes which are not protected. 



Mr. Cook. — it is uot true that our cold winters are increasing, or that our 

 drouths are more frequent. We have had bolh in the past. I can recollect a 

 number of dry seasons and of cold winters since I came to Grand River Valley. 

 The lakes were our protection. 



Mr. Husted. — I believe in forest protection. It is the salvation of the 

 country. Strip the State of forests and you destroy fruit culture and wheat 

 culture. All scientific authority supports that theory. 



Mr. Bradfield. — Why is it, if protectiou is so desirable, that my young peach, 

 tree, in a very exposed position, has survived the cold winter under such unfa- 

 vorable circumstances? 



The question was further discussed. There seems to be a great diversity of 

 opinion on the subject. It needs thorough ventilation. 



Mr. Dietrich said the season was a backward one. He advised that the straw- 

 berry meeting at Kalamazoo should be called the third week in June, or about 

 June 24th. The meeting at Benton Harbor, June 14th, last year, was one week 

 too early. Cherries and strawberries were just then beginning to ripen. The 

 Secretary and Mr. Stearns of Kalamazoo were instructed to fix the date. 



It was resolved that there was no occasion for discouragement in fruit cul- 

 ture; that this meeting and the exhibition afforded conclusive evidence that 

 the cultivation of fruits was adapted to the soil and climate of Michigan. 



Adjourned to meet at Kalamazoo in June. 



Note. — It will be seen from the above report of the May meeting at Ada that the pros- 

 pects for fruit at that time, in that section, were good. We regret to say that the prospects 

 were not sustained. The spring buds, in many cases, were the last effort of nature to make 

 a good showing, and never matured fruit. A great number of the trees died, and in fact 

 it was pretty well established that 40° below zero, oti the river bottoms, was a little to cold 

 for a healthy and successful season. J. P. T. 



