GENERAL HISTORY. 53 



-additional growth during the season insures its death. The shortening of the 

 strong shoots, therefore, diverts growth to the weaker ones, thus continning 

 their existence. It appeared that Mr. Dyckman at one time attempted short- 

 ening in, but found that his trees became filled with an excess of young wood, 

 more or less of which was necessarily cut away. He therefore abandoned 

 shortening in with the usual result that his trees ultimately became too open 

 and the branches bare of foliage and fruit except at the tips, a difficulty 

 which he would remedy by occasionally cutting back the main branches to 

 the proper length to grow a new head of young wood. 



From the facts elicited during the discussion of the subject, the suspicion 

 was expressed that Mr. Dyckman may have shortened his trees too severely, 

 and, observing the excessive central growth, may have gone to the opposite 

 extreme, instead of shortening more moderately till he reached a pro]ter 

 medium. 



The thinning of fruit was incidentally considered in connection with this 

 discussion, and shortening in was held to assist, to a considerable extent, in 

 reducing the labor of thinning the fruit. 



F. A. GuUey, of Dearborn, who had been a student at the Agriculm.ral 

 College, read a paper on "The Manufacture and Application pf Manures." 

 The paper was listened to with much interest. 



An invitation was accepted to visit the Agricultural College. 



On the afternoon of Wednesday T. T. Lyon contributed a paper on *'Xew 

 Yarieties," in which were given descriptions of new and promising fruiti^ 



Professor W. J. Beal followed with a lecture on ''Pruning Apple Trees." 

 criticising the manner in which much pruning is done, and stating the 

 proper time for doing the work and the objects to be gained. 



"Neatness and Order" was the title of a paper read by James Satterlee, 

 of Greenville. 



An invitation was received from the Monroe County Agricultural Society to 

 hold the June meeting at Monroe, which was referred to the executive com- 

 mittee, and by them accepted. 



On Wednesday evening, although the weather was very severe, a highly 

 intelligent audience listened to an eloquent address by President Abbot, of 

 the Agricultural College, on "The Necessity of Agricultural Education." 



Also to one from Hon. Rowland E. Trowbridge, of Lansing, on "Organiza- 

 tion Among Farmers." 



Hon. W. L. Webber, of East Saginaw, closed the evening exercises with a 

 paper on "The Destiny of Northern Michigan." 



On Thursday a memorial was adopted asking the Legislature for an appro- 

 priation to aid the society to make an exhibition of fruit at the meeting of 

 the American Pomological Society, at Chicago, in September. 



Professor R. P. Kedzie, meteorologist of the society, presented a paper on 

 "Meteorology," and on his motion a resolution was adopted requfsting our State 

 Legislature to use its influence with Congress to have the Signal Service 

 adopted to aid the agriculturists of this State. 



The society commended a draft of a bill for a law for the eradication of 

 "Yellows" as suitable to be enacted into a law. 



The committee on fruits exhibited reported sixty-five varieties of apples, 

 besides many duplicates ; also some well preserved grapes. 



After the adoption of the customary resolutions the society adjourned. 

 "The railroads, however, had become so blocked up with snow that a portion 

 •of the members were unable to return home for a day or two. 



