GENERAL HISTORY. 127 



Autumn — Hawley, Lowell, Graveustein, Jersey Sweet, Porter, Maiden's 

 Blush, Chenango. 



Early Winter — Belmont, Fameuse, Bailey Sweet, Westfield. 



Late Winter — Talman Sweet, Golden Russet, Wagener, Red Canada, 

 Northern Spy. 



A warm discussion followed, mainly respecting market varieties and the 

 importance of quality in market fruits. 



At tHe opening of the evening session, half an hour was given to questions 

 from the question box, in reply to the last of which — ''How Best to Fight 

 the Pear Slug?" — the secretary read a letter from S. W. Fowler, of Manis- 

 tee, who, after trying various remedies, applied Paris green diffused in water, 

 using a spraying apparatus . wit;; a force pump, with entire success- 



'• Oceana County for Fruit " was next treated in a paper by Mr. Hartwicke, 

 of the Pentwater News." 



Senator Ambler followed with an address on "The Value of Fixity in 

 Rural Life," abounding in pith, humor and bandinage, and was followed by 

 E. M. Potter, of Kalamazoo, in continuation of the subject. 



D. L. Garver read an essay on " People and their Surroundings," the sur- 

 roundings considered those more particularly of a horticultural character. 



The deduction was that the surroundings in large measure indicate the char- 

 acter of the people. 



The committee on transportation reported, in effect, that the subject com- 

 mitted to them was more especially calling for action on the part of local 

 societies. 



After reports of committees and appropriate acknowledgment of courtesies 

 received, the society adjourned. 



At a meeting of the executive board, held during the meeting at Pentwater, 

 the vacancy upon the board bccasioned by the removal of N. Chilson, was 

 filled by the appointment of J. N. Stearns, of Kalamazoo, such appointment 

 to continue until the next annual meeting. 



The vacancies in the business committee were filled by appointing James 

 Satterlee and J. N. Stearns members, with Evart H. Scott as chairman. 



With the purpose of ascertaining the condition of the Michigan fruit crop, 

 and gaining an indication of the probable amount of work required to get 

 ready for the fair, the secretary, in August, sent out one hundred postal cards, 

 in envelopes, to prominent fruit growers, asking them to return the per 

 centage of an average crop promised by the orchards and vineyards as the 

 crop of 1882. 



In reply only one correspondent puts the apple crop at a full average, 

 while thirty-four place it at less than one-fourth of a crop ; fifty report it less 

 than one-half of a crop, and seventy-five less than three-fourths of an average. 

 The most promising shows of apples are reported from Ingham, Bay, western 

 Muskegon, Manistee, Genesee, Allegan, Macomb, Lapeer, western Cass, 

 western Kent, Central Barry and eastern Ottawa; all state that the fruit will 

 be imperfect, scabby and badly injured by insects. 



Pears promise seventy-five per cent of a full yield. 



Peaches, in favorable locations in the interior, half a crop; on the southern 

 lake shore two-thirds ;f a crop. 



Grapes promise a full crop, but with some tendency to rot in infected 

 localities. 



Plums a good average where the curculio has received the requisite atten- 

 tion. 



