38 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



3. KEEPING FRUIT IN COLD STORAGE. 



In this experiment we attempted to secure definite data as to the extent 

 to which careless handhng injures the keeping qualities of fruit. We all 

 know, as a matter of experience, that careless handling does make fruit rot 

 faster in the cellar; but just how much? The experiment has run for three 

 years, and several bushels of apples have been used in each case. Briefly 

 summarized, the results were as follows: Spy apples were picked carefully 

 by hand and put into storage without bruising. Another lot were picked 

 similarly, but mereh^ i^oured into a barrel roughly, as many farmers still 

 pour apples. By April first, 21 per cent of those carefully handled had rotted, 

 and 81 per cent of those poured into the barrel. Apples picked carefull}'', 

 but carted three miles to town on a springless wagon, had 88 per cent rotted 

 by April 1st, as compared with the 21 per cent of standards. Scab spots and 

 worm holes not only disfigure the fruit, making it unsalable, but such fruit 

 rots much quicker than sound fruit. If the stems of Mdnter apples are pulled 

 off when picking, the fruit does not keep quite as well as fruit with stems on. 

 Spys picked early kept much better than Spys picked late. These points 

 emphasize anew the importance of handling very carefully fruit that is to 

 be stored. 



4. BLIGHT PROOF POTATOES. 



Of the several hundred varieties of potatoes that we have tested for blight 

 resistance during the past 4 years, the following have been most resistant 

 to late blight: Midsummer Dakota Red, Mills, Sir Walter Raleigh, Late 

 Blightless, Twentieth Century, Invincible. None of these are blight-proof, 

 but they are more so than most varieties. By selection and crossing we 

 are working to improve them in this respect. 



There was but little late blight at the college this 3^ear, but even so sprayed 

 potatoes yielded 34 bushels more per acre than unsprayed, which gave a 

 profit of about $10 per acre for the work, counting the cost of spraying at 

 $1.00 per acre for each application. 



5. VALUABLE SEEDLING FRUITS OF MICHIGAN ORIGIN. 



At the last meeting of this society I urged that we pay more attention to 

 local seedlings, for among them are most likely to be found the future com- 

 mercial varieties of our State. During the year I have received samples and 

 have photographed and described over fifty varieties and unnamed seedlings 

 of Michigan origin. A number of these I have no hesitation in pronouncing 

 decidedly promising, especially the Gibbs, Chesebro, Pitton, Mears, and 

 Schoolcraft apples, the Mark-Chili, Markham, Mears, Gold Mine, Highland 

 Beauty, Davidson, Gebhardt and Welch peaches and the Pringle Dymson 

 plum. I think this society should encourage the owners of these seedlings, 

 and others yet undescribed, by awarding prizes. 



6. PATENT SPRAYS FOR THE SAN JOSE SCALE. 



There should be put on record the experiments of Mr. C. G. Woodbury, 

 formerly of this department, now Assistant Horticulturist of the Indiana 

 Station. While with us he made a very thorough trial of the various patent 

 sprays for the San Jose scale, in comparison with the lime-sulphur spray. 

 The work was done both in the fall and in the spring, and over 400 trees 

 were treated. I give his conclusions: 



