354 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



once a week, imtil the fruit ripened; would cultivate no matter whether there 

 were weeds or not; would not cultivate pears or quinces, except when young; 

 would seed and mulch ; soil, a clay loam; would not cultivate grapes later than 

 July. 



Mr. Lannin thought no injury could result in late fall plowing pears or ap- 

 ples ; thinks a surplus of plant food in the soil an injury rather than a benefit; 

 his soil is a clay loam. He prunes at any time ; trees are young. 



Mr. J. Williams said it was the habit of most peach trees, that the buds on 

 four or five inches of twigs, near the end, were not fully developed and would 

 drop off in the spring. In regard to planting peach orchards, he said we got 

 trees too old, so that in digging them, it was necessary to cut off the tap 

 roots. The best way was to plant the seed where we wanted the trees to stand, 

 and graft the stock, or else to get young trees and take pains to preserve all the 

 tap root. Most men would cut off the tap root to make the tree stand level. 



Mr. B. F. Dresler, of Pier Cove, called the attention of the Society to a 

 peach box, he said it was no patent, nor one in which he had any manufactur- 

 ing interest. He said the first men of Saugatuck, Douglas, and Pier Cove, felt 

 that when there was a large crop of peaches, the present cost of baskets and 

 transportation was too great for satisfactory profit, and they proposed to 

 co-operate to effect some improvement and reform. The box was similar to 

 the ordinary cases for berry boxes, to hold half a bushel, and made with a 

 double partition, so that when necessary they could easily be divided with a 

 pocket-knife into two peck boxes. 



The merits of the box were discussed at length. 



Mr. Dyckman thought it was too much trouble to pack well in boxes. 



Mr. Dresler proposed to tack the lid on first, and pack from the bottom. 



Mr. J. Williams thought they would be advantageous in shipping hard 

 peaches long distances, but for the near markets, they concealed the peaches 

 too much. It was difficult to pack large ripe peaches in them. Then, he 

 thought, custom work would soon bring down the price of a half-bushel box 

 to that of ordinary baskets. He thought commission men would not bother 

 with cutting the boxes apart. 



Messrs. Dyckman, Williams, and others, however, favored giving the matter 

 consideration. 



Mr. Dresler claims that this box will reduce the cost of packages and trans- 

 portation one-half 



Mr. Lannin moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Dresler and Mr. Howell for their 

 kindness and disinterestedness in coming here and presenting this matter for 

 our consideration. The vote was heartily given. 



The subject of cultivation and pruning will be continued next Aveek. 



South Haven, March 17, 1873. 



The South Haven Pomological Society met this evening, to complete the 

 discussion on cultivation and pruning. The question was well represented in 

 the presence of one of Mr. Loveday's five-tooth cultivators, which does very 

 efficient work in clean soil. The interest taken in examining it showed that 

 the members of the Society believe in thorough cultivation. 



Some fine apples on the table for a name, presented by I. S. Linderman and 



