GENERAL HISTORY. 169 



HOKTICULTUEB IN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRTCULTUiiE, 



Mr. H. E. Van Deman, the recently appointed pomologist of the department, 

 being present, was called on, and gave a short talk respecting the purposes of 

 that department, so far as this interest is concerned, which he stated were 

 not yet fully matured, his present visit being for the purpose of collecting 

 information for the purpose. 



D. G. Edmiston stated that the Lenawee Society had recently recom- 

 mended a list of grapes for that region, as follows : — 



Best five for family use : Concord, Worden, Cottage, Brighton, Delaware. 

 Best five for market : Concord, Pocklington, Niagara, Worden, Brighton. 



The question was asked : *' If confined to one variety of grape, which should 

 be chosen ?" To this there were eighteen responses. 



For Worden, 6 ; Brighton, 4 ; Concord, 3 ; Delaware, 2 ; Ulster Prolific, 

 1; Woodruff, 1; White Ann Arbor, 1. 



The closing session on Thursday morning opened with the report of the 

 committee on fruits, vegetables, plants, insects, etc. — a very creditable dis- 

 play.- 



The report was accepted and adopted. 



The report of the committee on resolutions was then offered, accepted and 

 unanimously adopted. 



T. T. Lyon, of South Haven, then read a paper on 



HORTICULTCJEAL NOMENCLATURE, 



giving some account of the adoption of a code of rules to govern the 

 nomenclature of fruits, by the American Pomological Society; its promul- 

 gation for the use of societies and people generally, and its adoption by the 

 Michigan State Horticultural Society. 



After the reading of the paper the society adjourned. 



The society held its summer meeting for the year 1886 at North Lansing, 

 on June 15th and 16th. 



Although thinly attended on account of its occurrence during the inter- 

 esting scenes and events of semi-centennial week, at no one of its summer 

 meetings have its discussions been more interesting and instructive. 



At the opening of the first session on the evening of Tuesday, June 15th, 

 the first topic was 



STRAWBERRIES FOR THE MARKET, 



which was introduced by a letter from Thomas Wilde, of Coopersville, 

 who would plant strawberries as soon as vegetation starts in the spring. If 

 in the summer, as soon as plants are mature. He thought the time was at 

 hand when strictly pistillate varieties only should be planted in experimental 

 gardens. 



The letter of Mr. Wilde was followed by a discussion which was mainly 

 confined to the question of the effect of the use of pistillate varieties and the 

 propriety of early planting. 



A letter was read from George S. Linderman, of Grand Rapids, on his 



STYLE OF PLANTING, 



by which two persons would be able to plant an acre in one day, with time 

 to spare. 



22 



