REPORTS OF LOCAL SOCIETIES. Sai 



ADRIAN IIOirriCULTUrtAL .SOCIETY. 



OFFICEKS. 



President — Peter Collur. 



Vice President — Calvin Crane. 



Secretary — Woodland Owen. 



Treasurer — Artcnuis Sisjler. 



Librarian — Henry E. Owen. 



Executive Committee — James Iloltncs, C. W. Shellicld, Jesse Warren^ 

 Benjamin Steere, J. Eandall, D. Ellcnwood. 



This Society lias a library of upwards of two hundred volumes, and talvcs for 

 the use of its members eight of the leading agricultural and horticultural 

 periodicals. The meetings are designed to be held monthly, hut during the 

 year have not been attended with regularity. The February meeting was a very 

 interesting one, Tlie subject discussed was, " What are the six best varieties 

 of pears for profitable cultivation in this locality?" Tlie discussion took a wide 

 range on pear culture, and the subject of blight entered largely into the making 

 up of lists of varieties. Three lists were presented, one each by James Holmes, 

 Artimus Sigler, and Dr. Owen. While some difference is aj^parent in the lists 

 presented from the largo number of good pears in cultivation, yet they all agree 

 on the leading varieties. Mr. Holmes' list for 100 trees is, 10 Beurre Giffard, 

 50 Bartletts, 10 Flemish Beauty, 10 Seckel, 10 Beurre d'Anjou, 10 Winter 

 Nelis. Mr. Sigler presented a list with 5 Dearborn Seedling, 50 Bartletts, 20 

 Flemish Beauty, 10 Sheldon, 5 Seckel, 10 Beurre d'Anjou. Dr. Owen 

 presented a list of 100 trees, with 2 Tyson, 63 Bartletts, 15 Flemish Beauties, 

 10 Beurre d'Anjou, 5 Lammas, 5 Beurre d'Areniburg. Considerable excep- 

 tion was generally taken to the Beurre d'Areniburg in Dr. Owen's list, and it 

 elicited considerable discussion. And the doctor stated that he had but one 

 tree about sixteen years old ; that it has borne from three to four bushels of 

 pears on an average each year for five successive years ; that they are of good 

 flavor, rather tart, and are in prime condition at New Year's, and sell in this 

 market readily for $2.50 to $3.00 per bushel, and keep as easily as potatoes. 

 The tree grows in a gravelly soil with occasional strata of clay, and has never 

 shown any symptoms of blight. 



At the March meeting, the subject for discussion was, "What is the best 

 method of pear tree culture from the time the tree is taken from the nursery 

 till fruiting is fully established?" Mr. Sigler said his experience had been 

 principally with dwarf trees, but had grown some standards. Usually, the 

 dwarfs had been a failure with him, but his standard trees had grown well and 

 produced heavy crops of fruit, with high fertilization and heavy mulching, but 

 lately the trees show a disposition to blight. 



Mr. Holmes attributed blight entirely to atmospheric influence, and thinks 

 it makes no difference whether trees are highly cultivated and manured, or 

 ■whether they stand in sod or cultivated ground. His trees have blighted about 

 the same in either method of culture. Soil, clay, well under-drained, 



Mr. Peter Collar has had considerable experience in the cultivation of trees 

 of the various kinds. Thinks a too rapid growth, caused by stimulating 

 manures, is detrimental to the health of the tree. He would grow pear trees 



