ANNUAL MEETING AT SAGINAW. 521 



change of roads brought us to Abbottsford, the residence of Charles Gibb, 

 the associate of Prof. J. L. Budd, iu his visit to eastern Russia in 1883, 

 and who, at the session of the American Pomological Society at Grand 

 Rapids, Michigan, in 1.885, was charged with the duty of rendering the Rus- 

 sian and other foreign names of recently imported fruits into names pro- 

 nounceable by Anglo Saxons. 



Mr. Gibb has extensive orchards here, largely of the Fameuse apple, which 

 here seems especially successful, although not by any means exempt from 

 its very general tendency to scab and crack. Preparations were at the time 

 in progress for the annual exhibition of the Abbottsford Horticultural 

 Society to occur during that week; and, among other matters, Mr. Gibb and 

 a lady acquaintance were competing for the largest and most correctly labeled 

 collection of seeds — an idea which might be very profitably acted upon by 

 many other similar societies. 



Mr. Gibb, although not conducting a nursery business, is still an active 

 collector of novelties, whether in fruits, trees or plants, which are planted 

 and carefully tested upon his own grounds and planted along highways and 

 private drives. Among these may be seen many rare and beautiful things 

 hardy enough to withstand this northern climate, which, however, is appa- 

 rently less severe than that of even northern Vermont. 



A short distance toward the south and in full view is a mountain 1,300 feet 

 in height with a tower on the highest point, thirty feet high, from the top of 

 which the Adirondack mountains of northeastern New York are said to be 

 visible in clear weather, while in the opposite direction the mountains of 

 Maine may also be seen. Mr. Gibb's premises lie upon the lower, gradual 

 slope of this mountain, and the rich gravelly and naturally drained soil is 

 thickly strewn with immense boulders, some quite upon the surface and 

 others partially or wholly embedded in the soil, the whole being apparently 

 the debris of the neighboring mountain. Although upon the lower, gradual 

 slope, even this is very considerably elevated above the neighboring country 

 which circumstance especially adapts it to fruit culture, and particularly to 

 the culture of the apple, which is apparently a leading business with Mr. 

 Gibb and also with most others in the more immediate vicinity. 



The necessity to be in attendance at the Michigan State Fair, already in 

 progress, compelled our early return, for which purpose the Monday night 

 train was boarded, and Tuesday morning's light found us already past 

 Toronto. 



*■ The recent rains had apparently failed to reach here, since it was still so 

 4ry that fire was running in the dry grass of adjoining fields which were 

 brown from lack of moisture. This, however, became changed as we 

 approached St. Thomas, where the fields were again green with fresh 

 vegetation. 



Arriving at Jackson late on the evening of Tuesday, the second day of the 

 fair, the next morning proved to us that the confidence of the officers of this 

 society, in the eifective good will of its members and friends, had by no 

 means been vain, and that its appeals to them had been abundantly honored 

 in the bringing together of one of the finest of its many excellent exhibits. 



ELECTION" OF OFFICEKS. 



The report of the committee on nominations was taken from the table 

 and, on motion, the society proceeded to ballot for officers for 1888. 



66 



