THE DECEMBER MEETING. 331 



hour. About 30 members of the Society, mostly from abroad, accompanied the 

 Board to the Central School building, and were cordially received by Prof. Mont- 

 gomery, Superintendent, who conducted them tlirough the building into the 

 several departments, in all of which recitations, and the usual daily routine of 

 study were in progress. On entering many of the rooms the visitors were 

 greeted with songs and other demonstrations of welcome and respect by teach- 

 ers and pupils, doubtless arranged for the occasion, and which were evidently 

 productive of a most pleasing efiect ux)on the visitors. The management of 

 the school, the beauty, arrangement, and adaptability of the building, which is 

 admitted as being the finest in the State, if not in the entire Northwest, 

 received most hearty approval and commendation from the visitors. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



The afternoon session was opened at 3 P. M. Secretary Thompson stated 

 that several parties had offered gratuities of books to the Society, with a view 

 of creating a library. The books so donated are to be placed in the custody of 

 the Secretary, in his office at Grand Rapids. 



A discussion on the codling moth followed, as the apples generally through 

 the State had grown excessively wormy. 



The Secretary stated that a large fruit grower had turned hogs into his 

 orchard each year and found they exterminated the moths. 



Mr. G. W. Dickinson, of Grand Rapids, stated that a gentleman of hi& 

 county had pursued the same course with satisfactory results, and that he 

 himself had used this method with good results. ^ 



Prof. Cook, of the Agricultural College, thought that the hogs were bene- 

 ficial, but that placing bauds about the trees was quite as necessary. The 

 bands should never be examined before the first of July. The Professor had. 

 raised several of the moths for experiment. 



Mr. N. Smith, of Ionia, had faith in plowing his orchards for crops. 



Mr. Dickinson plowed his orchard in the fall, and turned in his hogs in the- 

 spring. 



Mr. Gregory had captured many moths by using the cloth bandages. He 

 found a large number of moths under his bandages on the (ith of November.. 

 Mr. Gregory stated that in South Haven the swine had not helped the apple 

 crop. The late drouth had proved very detrimental to the fruit crop. 



Mr. Geo. Taylor, of Kalamazoo, chairman of committee on flowers, submitted 

 the report of his committee, which was highly commendatory of the plants 

 and flowers on exhibition, consisting of many choice varieties, among which 

 "were twenty varieties of Geraniums. The entire lot of plants and flowers on 

 exhibition belonged to the Ohilson Brothers, of Battle Creek. 



Adjourned at 4 P. M., to 7 P. M. 



EVENING SESSION. 



The meeting opened with music by the quartette which sang the preceding 

 evening — and the beautiful song entitled "Summer," which they rendered 

 with their usual skill and effect, produced a very summer-like feeling in the 

 hearts of all present. 



