290 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



gradually rise, than that it should continue two or three days at 10'^ belovr 

 zero. It is the hardy fruit that we must select. It is the tender varieties that 

 are injured by the winter. Our Baldwins and Greenings, and even Koxbury 

 Russets have been injured, while the Red Astrachan and other hardy varieties 

 are uninjured. We should take this hint in future plantations. 



Mr. Clark of Grand Rapids. — An orchard on a western slope near Grand 

 Rapids was injured. 



The President. — I hope pomologists will extend their inquiries during sum- 

 mer and be able to arrive at a conclusion. My opinion is that it is root freez- 

 ing mainly that has caused this trouble, and if so, this can be prevented ia 

 future. A fence four feet high protected several rows of my trees. 



Mr. Lyon. — It held the snow. 



The President. — Yes. It was the snow that protected the trees. 



Mr. Husted. — A boy barefoot can not bear the cold so well as one who has 

 good boots on, and it is the same with trees, — when uncovered at the root they 

 would, of course, die. 



Mr. Hanford. — If it had not been for the drouth, the trees would have sur- 

 vived the summer, although weakened so. How did the President protect his 

 orchard ? 



The President. — The trees that were destroyed in my orchard were exposed 

 on the west side, the snow being blown off the roots. The balance of tke 

 orchard was two feet under snow all winter. 



FRIDAY EVENING. 

 The proceedings opened by a quartette, " The Song of Summer." 



TREE PROTECTIOiq". 



Mr. N. V. Cook, of Grand Rapids, read a paper on tree protection. 



Solo by Mrs. Evans, " When the Corn is Waving." 



Prof. R. C. Kedsie found himself in the position of the preacher who had 

 left his sermon at home. He said, " Brethren, I shall have to depend on tke 

 Lord for a sermon. Next time I will be better prepared." The effect of forests 

 on the temperature is marked not alone by influence upon the wind, but upoii 

 the temperature of the ground itself. In exposed situations frost extended to 

 a depth of four feet, while in the forest, under the snow, it did not reack a 

 depth of one inch, — sometimes no frost at all. This accounts for the thrifty 

 appearance of wheat that has been covered all over by snow. There is no 

 warmer covering than that of snow. The forest has a great control over the 

 velocity of the wind itself. We have heard to-day about the bad influence of 

 the east wind. I wish pomologists would mark the effect of the east wind upon 

 the apple. On the side exposed to the wind the apple has a black scab, which 

 it is believed is caused by the east wind. The effect is its leaving the ground 

 bare of snow. The good effect of the forest is felt from the even distribution 

 of the snow. When the snow has become cleared away from open clearings 

 you will see spots in the wheat that appears like the effect of fire. It is caused 

 by the frost where the ground was denuded of snow. 



The next point is the effect of forests on rainfall. The general storms are 



