74 GENERAL HISTORY. 



my thorough pruning or other cause not apparent, I have always been what 

 is called fortunate in having a fair crop of apples in seasons of comparative 

 failure. I had as many apples this year as last, and, as usual, the majority- 

 were Northern Spys. 



S. H. Comings, of St. Joseph, writes: ''I send a can of cranberries picked 

 from a natural cranberry marsh I am improving near this place. I would 

 also call the attention of the society to the importance of the cultivation of 

 this fruit in our State, where I suppose there is a large amount of land ex- 

 actly adapted to this branch of horticulture." 



B. G. Buell, Little Prairie Ilonde, writes : "There are many good orchards 

 of apples in Cass county, but the line of successful peach growing seems to 

 be north of us. We have a goodly number of intelligent fruit men in the 

 central and southern portions of our county. If some of those live fruit 

 committees were to take a trip of observation among us, it might be the means 

 of awakening our staid old burghers to their benefit, and also to that of the 

 society." 



A letter was received from George Haskell, of Ipswich, Massachusetts, 

 a noted experimenter in cross-breeding grapes, speaking very highly of some 

 of the varieties which are of very high quality, but too late in rij^ening for 

 our northern climate. Although but partially successful, he is encouraged to 

 persevere. 



A letter was also received from George W. Campbell, of Delaware, Ohio, 

 giving his conclusions as to the value of a large number of the nevv'er grapes. 

 He concludes that : ''As the result of many years' experience and observa- 

 tion, I believe that hybridizing the grape will produce varieties of fine 

 quality and of a character nearly, if not quite, equal to the finer foreign sortsj 

 but this fine quality is, to a considerable degree, at the expense of that hardi- 

 ness of constitution necessary to withstand our variable and vigorous climate; 

 and though these hybrids are exceedingly interesting and valuable for 

 amateur culturists, and for especially favorable localities, we must look to 

 native seedlings or use native crosses for popular sorts suited to the wants of 

 the people for universal cultivation." 



Oral reports from various localities indicate less than one-fourth of a crop 

 of apples and a light crop of other fruits except perhaps small fruits. 



On meth'^ds of exhibiting fruits, Professor \V. J. Beal urged the need of 

 improvement in the method of displaying and labeling samples, and showed 

 samples of plates, clasps and cards used by the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society. 



Mr. N. Chilson had expected to receive samples from manufacturers look- 

 ing to the purchase of a supply for this society but they had failed to arrive. 

 He also recommended the simplification of committee work by the placing 

 of all competing articles together ; also by the appointment of an assistant 

 superintendent for each division who shall act as chairman of the viewing 

 committee. 



After a full discussion the whole matter was referred to the executive 

 board. 



A paper was then read by E. Brafield, of Ada, on ''My Failures in Grape 

 Growing." The first failure was in paying a high price for a dozen assorted 

 vines, all of which proved to be Clintons, The next dozen plants were pur- 

 chased from an honest tree peddler and warranted to be four Delawares, 

 four Dianas and four Concords, but which turned out to be nine Clintons 

 and three Catawbas; the latter, for my locality, being worse than Clinton. 



