27a STATE rOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



trees and shrubs, desirable in this State. Here we found cellars in which to 

 liccl in stock during the winter, keeping it safe, and ready for early spring 

 shipping, or, if need be, keep it back fur late ])lanting. Tlie fruit growers of 

 Western ^Michiiran have no need to go far for trees. 



We also spent a dny looking over the extensive establishment of I. E. 

 llgenfritz & Sons, at Monroe. Here we were taken over farm after farm of 

 stock of all kinds and at all stages of irrowth from tiic seedling to almost 

 bearing trees. In this nursery are employed twenty-five hands and eight teams 

 during the ordinary working season, and a much larger force during the time 

 of packing and iilanting. To attempt to describe or enumerate the stock 

 would be out of the question here, every department being very full. In the 

 ornamental grounds we noticed very many rare and desirable plants. This 

 firm have a very fine arrangement of packing houses, and extensive cellars in 

 which to heel in stock, and all the land upon which it is grown is thoroughly 

 prepared and under-drained before planting is begun. 



We also called upon Keynolds die Lewis at that place, but the proprietors were 

 absent. However, a short time spent in looking over their stock showed it to 

 be very complete and in fine order. 



Your committee take pleasure in recommending any of these to tliose wishing 

 to purchase trees. Nor are these all. At other places in the 'State nursery 

 stock is grown, and by reliable men. There is no need for the people to go 

 either to the east, south, or west for nursery stock. It can be obtained at home, 

 and of quality or quantity to suit any purchaser. 



The full report of tlie orchard committee having been completed, the society 

 next listened to a paper on 



THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF FRUIT AS COMPARED AVITII OTHER 



FOODS. 



liY li. F. KEDZIE. 



Much has been written on the value of fruit as food. Many articles that 

 appear in the agricultural columns of the news[)a})ers, state that the use of 

 fruit is essential to perfect health : that the reason why the farmer sufiiers such 

 poor health as compared with those of other occupations is, that fruit does not 

 take a prominent place among his articles of diet; besides the food of our first 

 parents in the Garden of Eden was largely fruit, and the nearer we gravitate 

 back to the first condition of things, in this respect, the better health we shall 

 enjoy. 



There is undoubtedly a good deal of truth in all this; and taking nothing 

 for granted, let us go a little deeper into the subject, and consider briefly the 

 value of fruits in the human economy. 



By fruits, we do not mean everything to wliicli a strict scientific definition 

 would a])ply, but only such as are popularly included under that term, such as 

 apples, peaches, pears, strawberries, etc., and by food, to ado})t Dr. Smith's 

 definition, we mean, a substance which when introduced into tlie body, supplies 

 material which renews some structure, or maintains some vital process. Now 

 leaving out of this discussion the office of various constituents of foods, — as to 

 which are "flesh-forming," or "force-giving" — questions that are not settled 

 to-day, let us glance at tlie composition of fruits, and then consider their 

 nutritive value. 



