78 GENERAL HISTORY. 



The State Pomological Society convened at Allegan for its winter meeting 

 February 18th to 15th, 1878. 



On the evening of the 13th the meeting was called to order by the presi- 

 dent. 



Encouraging letters were read from New York, Canada, and several locali- 

 ties in Michigan ; also a communication from the Commissioner of Agricul- 

 ture at Washington, through Governor Croswell, inquiring if the society 

 could send any pomological exhibits to Washington to go to the Paris expo- 

 sition. 



A very cordial address of welcome was made by General B. D. Pritchard, 

 which was responded to by the president. 



J. P. Thompson, Secretary of the Michigan State Agricultural Society, 

 then gave an address upon ''What Constitutes the Fruit Belt of Michigan," 

 saying that many claim that in some degree the lake influence reaches the 

 whole peninsula; and, in that sense, the fruit belt includes the whole; 

 although, in a more limited sense, it may be held to include merely the 

 counties along the lake shore. The views of residents of seventeen counties 

 were given to illustrate the ideas put forth by himself. To these were added 

 the views of many of those present; but without eliciting a concise answer to 

 the question of the essayist. 



Lyman A. Lilly gave the next paper upon "Tree Planting for Farm and 

 Eoadside," in the course of which he considered the subject in the light of 

 climatology and meteorology as well as in that of horticultural improvement 

 and home ornamentation. 



On Thursday morning the session was delayed to allow time for the 

 arrangement and examination of the fine display of fruit apon the tables. 



The first paper was read by J. N. Stearns, of Kalamazoo, on "Winter 

 Protection of Nursery Stock," the protection proposed being by heeling in, 

 in cellars prepared f(ir the purpose. The essay elicited many questions and 

 considerable discussion. 



Professor Cook followed with an address upon "Leaf Rollers. " This address 

 was prompted by the receipt of a letter from Mr. Bidelman, of Coldwater, 

 respecting an insect that was destroying a fine orchard in that county. At a 

 later date the insect in question was determined to be the canker worm. 



While on this topic L. L. Lance, of Glenn, brought out a discussion upon 

 the codling moth and their destruction by birds. He condemned the sap- 

 sucker as injurious to the trees. 



Professor Cook followed up the discussion upon the codling moth and sug- 

 gested the use of bands as the best known means of destruction at present. 



Professor Beal, at the college, had been using the bands under rather dis- 

 couraging circumstances, as an orchard across the street is wholly neglected. 



The discussion took a wide range, including several other insects, attack- 

 ing various kinds of trees. 



II. Dewey, of Allegan, followed on the subject of "Growing Eoots for 

 Stock." 



And this was followed by a paper read by Miss Elliott, of Grand Rapids, 

 on "Littlo Things." 



On Thursday afternoon the question box was opened and several questions 

 were referred and briefly answered. 



An essay on " Keeping Grapes" was read, from the pen of S. B. Peck, of 

 Muskegon. He described his process to be "spreading the bunches upon 

 racks until they became so shriveled that the juice will not ooze out on 



