64 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the department to furnish one to each meeting, and that the expense of a 

 separate journey to each could not be afforded. 



Mr. Monroe moved, and it was carried, to instruct the executive com- 

 ! mittee to secure harmony in this respect with the societies of adjacent 

 states. 



A question was asked by Mr. H. O. Kelly of St. Louis, Gratiot county: 

 Do our mild winters have a tendency to deteriorate the quality of Michigan 

 apples ? 



Mr. Lyon: Not as a rule; but such would be the tendency of such a win- 

 ter as that of two years ago; any season which promoted unnatural growth 

 would do much harm. 



To this Prof. Taft agreed, adding that the weakness of trees resulting 

 from such unnatural seasons induces an increase of disease. 



THE FRENCH DAMSON PLUM. 



A letter was read from Mr. F. J. Russell of Hart, asking about the 

 French Damson plum — when it ripens, compared with Shropshire Damson, 

 what is its size, shape, habit of growth, degree of prolificacy, and compara- 

 tive quality of fruit. 



Mr. Nelson Bouge of Batavia, N. Y.: The tree is a fair grower, better 

 than Shropshire Damson or the average plum; the fruit ripens sooner, is 

 larger, and is more desirable to grow. 



Mr. J. N. Stearns: This plum was recommended to me by Mr. S. D. 

 Willard of Geneva, N. Y., and I have planted but not yet fruited it. Mr. 

 Willard placed it above Shropshire Damson in all respects. 



Mr. Bouge : The French Damson has no synonym; the stock now on 

 sale in this country is from originally imported trees; the fruit is dark 

 blue, high in color, with considerable bloom, and in size between Shipper's 

 Pride and Shropshire Damson. 



The following paper was read by Mr. Jas. F. Taylor of Douglas, upon 



COMMERCIAL PEACH-GROWING. 



Commercial life is a kind of occupation in buying and selling, or in pro- 

 ducing and selling, that will give a man employment all the year and every 

 year. 



But there are off years in every worldly work. Not all are alike pros- 

 perous. Not all are alike remunerative. Times do come when the work 

 is heavy and the income light. So, in commercial peach-growing, it is 

 well to bear in mind that there are contingencies to be encountered at 

 every step in the work and at every turn in the rolling year. 



While the peach tree will grow in various localities over a wide range of 

 territory and produce fruit occasionally, its adaptation to f ruitfulness, from 

 a commercial standpoint, has many limitations and conditions. These 



