KEPORTS OF LOCAL SOCIETIES. 339 



THE COLD WATER nORTICULTURAL CLUB. 



OFFICERS. 



President — J udge Th om pson . 



Vice President — A. J. AlJrich, 



Secretary — J. D. W. Fisk. 



Treasurer — lion. Ilarvoy Ilayncs. 



This club was organized December 23, 187G. Several preliminary meetings 

 had been held and much discussion had respecting the best working plan and 

 just what scope should be given the society, — whether it should be pomological 

 or horticultural, — whether it had better be a town or county society. It finally 

 decided tliat as a systematic study of horticulture, botanically and practically, 

 Avas to be the object of the organization, it could best be accomplished by form- 

 ing a local club, each member of which should be interested in the subject, 

 and anxious to increase his horticultural knowledge. A brief constitution was 

 adopted providing for the usual corps of officers, for regular meetings, and for 

 semi-annual exhibitions. 



The plan of proceeding in our meetings has been somewhat as follows : We 

 take up some branch of horticulture, commencing at the foundation, and keep 

 at work upon it till we go over all the ground. As for instance, in apple cul- 

 ture, at one meeting, our topic for discussion, was "^the Soil and Location best 

 Adapted to the Apple Orchard." At the next, " the Trees, and IIow to Plant 

 Them." At the next, '''the Culture and Pruning of the Orchard." And 

 finally finishing with the " Picking, Storing and Marketing." We arrange for 

 a botanical paper at each meeting. Our first was on "Seeds ;" the next, " How 

 Plants Grow;" the next, "the Circulation of the Sap;" then ''Bud and 

 Bloom;" then "Fertilization of the Flower," and so on. After having 

 adopted this general plan there is very little difficulty in arranging our work 

 for each meeting. And by going tlirough each branch of horticulture system- 

 actically, we get it much more thoroughly studied. We have now commenced 

 the study of the garden. The first paper on this subject is herewith appended, 

 also the paper on the "Circulation of the Sap," and the entire proceedings of 

 the April meeting. 



APRIL MEETING. 



Tlie topic appointed for discussion was the "Gathering, Storing and Market- 

 ing of Apples." The discussion was opened by Judge Warner. Mr. W. said 

 the subject was one of great importance ; there was little use in raising fruit 

 if we do not harvest and market it. A common error in gathering winter 

 apples was in deferring it too late. They should be })icked two weeks earlier 

 than the usual time. Wlien the apples begin to fall they should be gathered 

 immediately. Pick them carefully, place tlieni in heaps and leave them for a 

 few days to sweat and dry, tlien sort and barrel. A good deal of ignorance 

 and iniquity has been practiced in packing for market. Large quantities had 

 been brought to his mill to be made into cider that had been purchased for 

 shipping. A few good apples had been placed at the ends of the barrels and 

 the balance filled in with inferior fruit. Of course tliis w;i5 a miserable cheat 



