380 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



practice, will euable us to grow the fine varieties as well, and with safety and 

 profit. The tendency of all irnit trees to remain barren, or else drop their young 

 fruit the following year, after bearing heavily, has been increased by the unus- 

 ual cold of last winter, and is observable in nearly all orchard crops. The 

 trees mostly injured are those enfeebled by old age, over-bearing, or those with 

 neglected culture, or situate in soils or situations unfavorable; hence, the real 

 loss is not as great as at first appears. Many weak and tender varieties haye 

 disappeared and will be replaced with others of more hardihood and vigor. 

 These latter have passed tlirough the trial unharmed, and remain to encourage 

 and reward the man of toil for his labors. 



Our general nursery stock never went into winter in better condition. It 

 oame out this spring with very little injury, and has given general satisfaction. 

 Our sales were larger this last spring than at any previous time. We have now 

 150 acres of growing stock, uninjured in any way, and of vigorous, healthy 

 growth. Young peach buds and yearling apples by the hundred thousand, 

 with but very few missing. We make this statement at this time, because 

 papers at Battle Creek and Chicago reported the stock at Grand Eiver Nurs- 

 eries badly winter-killed, and this evil report was freely copied into various 

 papers throughout the whole country. The pnblic, and even our friends were 

 apprised of our misfortune in advance of ourselves. These reports, though 

 false, have a tendency to create and spread a wrong impression to our preju- 

 dice, and it is no more than just the press make the correction necessary to 

 place our business in a proper light before the public. 



KALAMAZOO COUNTY. 



Mr. D. T. Fox. — I think we are going to get a fine crop of apples. The Bald- 

 win is showing the least fruit. 1 have a Baldwin tree six to eight inches 

 through, leafing a little, with some sprouts starting on the body. Other varie- 

 ties are uninjured. This is my Baldwin year. Two years ago I got over two 

 hundred barrels. This year I will not get thirty barrels of Baldwins. Where 

 my Baldwins are most killed is at the southwest corner. There are two trees 

 killed there. The next row seems uninjured. The Baldwins that have 

 the least protection have very little fruit on them. I have been as far north as 

 Clam Lake and saw a good many orchards injured. In St. Joseph there are 

 some orchards injured. Peach trees are killed, except such as I cut back. Sour 

 cherries are doing best. The sweet cherries very few. Strawberries have beea 

 badly dried up for want of rain. Where our orchards have been protected west 

 and northwest by forests, the orchards are less injured. 



JACKSON" COUNTY. 



Mr. S. 0. Knapp. — In our county there is a good deal of fruit grown, yet 

 there are few who make it a specialty. Not because the soil is not adapted to 

 it, but I cannot say why it is so. The apple crop is up to an average. The 

 pear crop about an average. The plum trees do not seem to be affected by the 

 winter. In some instances the trees bear a good crop without protection. The 

 use of Paris green has been tried with success against the curculio. The yellow 

 Spanish cherry has proved the most hardy. Grapes I lay on the ground, 

 not covering them. This has protected them except the lonas, which were 

 killed when laid down. I do not think as highly of the Concord as some do. 

 The coloring matter next the skin soon decays. Out of half a dozen attempts 

 to make wine of it I have never attained satisfaction. The Doolittle Black- 

 •caps are perfectly hardy and a good crop. The Minnesota Grape was not laid 



