GENERAL HISTORY. 125 



ticirlturists," coupled with the subject of "Experience and Observation in 

 Horticulture." 



After a short discussion of these topics and an interesting piece of music, 

 reports of committees were called for. 



The committee on fruits exhibited, in the course of their report, remark : 

 "Considering the extremely dry summer and the premature ripening of fruit 

 in the fall, your committee unite in the decision that the exhibition is worthy 

 of credit for the fruit exhibit at this time of the year, especially when such 

 varieties as the Sweet Bough, Early Harvest and Maiden's Blush are in such 

 condition as exhibited by Mr. Dorr, of Manchester. These, of course, were 

 kept by the refrigerator process and show what can be done. 



After the adoption of a series of appropriate resolutions the society ad- 

 journed. 



The death of James Vick occurred at his home in Eochester, New York, 

 on May 16th, 1882. He was born in Chichester, England, in November, 

 1818 ; removed early in life to the United States, and was for a time in charge 

 of the Horticultural Department of the Genesee Farmer, and was, subseqently, 

 connected in a similar capacity with Moore's Eural New Yorker. He was 

 also, at one time, secretary of the American Pomological Society. His con- 

 nection with the New Yorker was closed to leave him at liberty to take up 

 his great life work, in which he continued till his death. " No man has ever 

 lived and died in our country that has left so beautiful and so permanent an 

 impression upon the homes of our people." 



The summer meeting of the State Horticultural Society occurred at Pent- 

 water, on June 20th and 21st, 1882, upon the invitation of the Oceana County 

 Horticultural Society. 



The society was welcomed by President C. A. Sessions, of the local society, 

 followed by a response by the president of the visiting society. 



The first topic — " What Societies do for Horticulture " — was opened by a 

 paper from Wm. A. Brown, of Stevensville. 



The paper supplied matter for a somewhat extended discussion, after which, 

 Mr. T. S. Braman, of Shelby, read an essay in continuation of the subject, 

 and this again was supplemented by a discussion upon several matters ; among 

 which was the ''need of a State Entomologist," the "curculio and the leaf 

 blight and rot of the plum," and the " leaf curl " of the peach, which last had 

 just, at this time, nearly or quite ruined the foliage of the peach trees of this 

 vicinity where destitute of shelter from the lake winds. 



The evening session was opened by replies and discussions of a few ques- 

 tions from the question box, including " Thinning Fruit " and " Cutting Back 

 Shoots," " The Best Strawberry for Market," and "The Excessive Fertiliza- 

 tion of Soils." 



Mr. Garver, of Hart, gave the first paper of the evening on '' Marketing 

 Fruit," suggesting the importance of organizing to secure the possible facili- 

 ties of the shipment of the fruit product of the region, insisting also upon the 

 importance of assorting fruits into grades. 



"Our Soils" was the topic of an essay by James Brassington, of Oceana 

 county, which was followed by a short discussion, when the question box was 

 resorted to. The first question was on the "Best Method of Treating Pear 

 Blight." 



No better remedy was proposed than to cut away the diseased wood and to 

 disinfect by means of carbolic acid. 



