146 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the consumer is getting wise, is less often tempted by the color, and "wants to be shown." 

 However, the varieties that combine these attractive features with a desirable flavor and 

 keeping quality are sure to secure first place on the future market. Some of the varieties 

 named during the discussion were Steels Red, Wagener, Northern Spy, Hubbardston, 

 Shiawassee Beauty, Grimes Golden and Winter Banana. 



ESSENTIALS FOR FRUIT GROWING. 



"The first thing to be considered in determining whether to take up the fruit business 

 is the man himself," was the opening thought of an able address by Mr. T. A. Farrand, 

 of Eation county, upon the above subject. And in making this determination the man's 

 love for fruit is the most important part of his fitness. He will also need to be persistent, 

 for the many trials and disappointments that are in the path of the successful fruit grower 

 will certainly overcome a faint-hearted man. Good judgment is of the same advantage 

 here as it is in all businesses. The party contemplating pursuing this work should be so 

 situated that he can be on the ground and he should have capital to perform duties on 

 the moment when they will do most good for a delay often defeats the purpose of the work. 

 After satisfying one's self that he is the right kind of a man to perform horticultural pursuits 

 he should proceed to find out what fruit is particularly adapted to the conditions at hand. 

 If some kind is fitted that is not to the liking of the person then he would wisely change 

 to a place where his choice can be grown to the best advantage, or not attempt at all if 

 he desires to succeed commercially. Besides studying conditions for selecting the kind 

 and varieties of fruit the grower should make it a part of his duties to get acquainted 

 with the insects and diseases that he is to combat, get in touch with the successful pro- 

 ducers in his locaUty and State, build up a horticultural libraiy, keep before himself 

 current horticultural hterature, and in fact bring everything that will make him a master 

 of the situation to focus upon the business. 



IN AND AROUND THE HOME. 



In dealing with this theme Mrs. S. C. Taylor, of Oakland county, defined the relation 

 of farm homes to the country, emphasizing the point that the country citizens are the 

 "stay of the land." The people of the cities are speculative and would blindly lead us 

 on to no one knows where, were it not for the conservatism of the rural folk. But to keep 

 ourselves as "the salt of the land " it is important that our rural homes be protected from 

 the evil that is rampant in our towns and cities, for the close intercourse brought about 

 by the rapid means of communication is certain to acquaint our country youth with the 

 evil as well as the good of the centers of population. We must, therefore, see to it that 

 our homes are made strong against invasion by filling them with the purest manhood 

 and womanhood that education, culture, and devotion to the highest things in life can 

 make, which will resist the temptation to do wrong and permit the building of a citizen- 

 ship that will outdo the craftiness of evil. She closed her most excellent paper with the 

 thought that such work as fruit growing makes men and women more capable of uplifting 

 society because of the independent and healthful life it tends to promote. 



PEACHES FOR PROFIT. 



(ROBERT A. SMYTHE, BENTON HARBOR). 



When the subject "Peaches for profit" was first assigned to me, I must confess I was 

 at a loss to know what view of the subject to take; but as no other paper to be read before 

 this meeting was devoted to the peach, I decided to present as much matter as possible 

 on the subject in the time allowed me. 



We will first consider peaches from a commercial standpoint, since information in this line 

 is as necessary to a successful peach grower as to a man in any other occupation. 



I consider peaches to be one of the most profitable fruit crops grown, even in the face 

 of the recent October freeze, San Jose scale. Yellows and Little Peach; and I further be- 

 lieve that peaches will pay better in the next ten years than they have in the ten years 

 just past; I am not attempting to tell you any short road to success, or any quick-get- 

 rich scheme. 



No doubt you have all read enough in the recent magazines and periodicals of the short 

 road to riches through poultry raising, squabs, mushrooms, etc.; but strange to say these 

 wonderful successes lie beyond our ken. I smile to myself when I know of people going 

 into poultry raising, counting on what this or that old hen will do in the way of egg pro- 



