JUNE MEETING, 1877. 10? 



Mr. President: — Your comniittec, to wlioiu was referred the fruit exhibited 

 here, would iiuiko the following report: 



We lind thirty-live varieties of strawberries on cxliibition, among theui are 

 the following, each plate undoubtedly containing the best samples of its kind : 

 Seth Boyden, Seneca Chief, Col. Cheney, Monarch of the West, Jucunda, 

 Triomph'o de Gaud, Kentucky, Cowing's Seedling, Creon Prolific, Wilson, 

 Luckhurst, Charles Downing, and a new berry claimed to have been originated 

 by 11. E. Bidwell, of South Haven, named "Centennial." The last named in 

 size, quality, and appearance is equal to the best on exhibition. 



Your committee were agreed uj)on recommending the five best herries in the 

 order named, recognizing the fact that a report to be valuable must embody 

 the result of the investigations in a specific mentimi of named varieties. 



The result is as follows : Monarch of the West, Seth Boyden, Seneca Chiof, 

 Col. Cheney, and Triomphe de Gaud. 



The entries of cherries are limited to five different varieties, namely, Elton, 

 Black Tartarian, Early liichmond, Baumann's May, and Gov. Wood. The 

 entries named are mostly in an immature state, and an intelligent opinion 

 could not be arrived at from the investigation of quality. 



A splendid basket of Golden Eusset apples, exhibited by D. C. Loveday,. 

 were in a perfect state of preservation, and worthy of special mention. 



C. ENGLE, 

 A. C. GLIDDEN, 

 C. N. MERRIMAN, 

 Committee 



Mr. J. P. Thompson then occupied a few moments with a talk upon 



GEEEN MANURING. 



I hope that they will give the cultivation of orchards a tliorougli stirring up 

 at this Soutli Haven meeting. This practice is more common than it was. 

 The hide-bound orchard is a more rare sight than it was. It is a common 

 thing to see the 2")low in the orchard, and this year especially a great many orch- 

 ards have been plowed. In this connection it is proper that mention should be 

 made of the fact that restitution to the orchard soil is a more common prac- 

 tice. In the Farmer last week mention v^'as made of Mr. Bailey's apple orchard. 

 He is a num who feeds his orchard. He gives restitution where it is deserved. 



It was at one of the meetings of the Pomological Society that the necessity 

 of a system of fertilization of orchards for this State was laroached, especially 

 of the orchards of the Michigan Lake Shore, where the soil is of a silicious 

 character. From this teachmg has come the practice of plowing in of green 

 crops which cannot be too highly commended for orchards as well as for general 

 farm lands. AVe are indebted to the well known agricultural chemist of our 

 State, Prof. Kedzie, of whom we may well be proud, for a most emphatic 

 endorsement of this mode of enriching the soil. When we contemwlate this 

 rich heritage of a State, so well adapted to the fruits, cereals, grasses and vege- 

 tables of a temperate clime, we cannot but feel a little anxious when we think 

 this soil is liable to exhaustion. These broad acres are liable to go back to 

 waste and barrenness. So that the question constantly arises — How can we 

 pay back that which is taken? How can we restore these crops that are gath- 

 ered, marketed and sold? The great effort is to take from the soil. All the 

 powers of air and water and earth are harnessed to carry from the bosom of 



