24.0 STATE TOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



only a secondary reference to the quality of the fruit, but with primary refer- 

 ence to securing the best possible pecuniary results from the venture. The 

 planters of these market orchards have not been slow to discover that the mass 

 of their customers are by no means discriminating judges of fruit; that, in 

 fact, they buy mainly Ijj the eye. Hence they prefer showy sorts, while exces- 

 sive delicacy of texture is a serious objection, and, in fact, no superiority of 

 flavor, texture, or even outward beauty can fully compensate for deficiency of 

 size. 



AVith the almost imperceptible growth and development of this market idea, 

 has also grown up a very general practice among farmers, of planting the farm 

 orchard with reference to tlie growing of a surplus of fruit, to be sold in the 

 market; and, with this idea in mind, even the farmer has shown himself 

 prone to forget the home want, and to merge the vrhole, to a great extent, in 

 the one market idea. In this they (the farm planters) have, beyond doubt, 

 been, perhaps unintentionally, encouraged by the nurserymen, who have been 

 by no means slow to discover that, as a rule, the more robust and hardy market 

 sorts, are as much more robust in the tree as in t\\Q fruit. In fact, few have 

 probably failed to observe that lied Astrachan, Baldwin, N'orthern Spy and 

 Wagener, are immensely more vigorous and profitable, as nursery trees, than 

 arc American Summer Pearmain, Early Joe, or even the delicate and admir- 

 able Pomme Grise. 



Such a planter will doubtless succeed in filling his cellars with Baldwins, or 

 perhaps with Pennock, or Ben Davis, but he will hardly care to keep a dJsh of 

 these, for winter evenings, upon his centre table ; and his visitors, as a rule, 

 will honor his judgment in this particular. The result is likely to be — and to 

 a great extent, indeed, already is— that the apple (our staple fruit), is banished 

 to the root cellar, and rarely appears in the family, except in culinary prepara- 

 tions, in common with the products of the kitchen garden. 



Under the operation of these influences, tliere seems really to be great 

 danger that many of tlie old-time favorites will, in despite of superior excel- 

 lence, be driven into oblivion; and that, by this malapropos degrading of 

 the standard of quality, such apples as American Summer Pearmain, Early 

 Strawberry, Summer Pose, Garden Poyal, Mexico, Pomme Grise, Hubbards- 

 ton Nonsuch and Swaar, will be replaced by sour but strong Red Astrachans or 

 Maiden's Blush, coarse but productive Lowells, tough, dry, worthless Pen- 

 nocks, Ben Davis and Stark, while we, as pomologists, find ourselves borne 

 backward a half century in our vaunted career of improvement. 



State Senator Palmer being present, was called out and made a very neat 

 speech to the effect that he was a beginner in pomology, but greatly interested 

 in it; and while he could not communicate any knowledge, if he could aid by 

 way of encouragement he would bid the members God-speed. 



Gen. B. D. Pritchard being called for, said he regretted the absence whicli 

 had prevented him from attending the other sessions. He had noticed, hero 

 in the Allegan markets, tlie tendency which ]Mr. Lyon had complained of, and 

 lie regretted it. lie spoke of the Jonathan and lielmont apples as excellent 

 sorts both for dessert and cooking. He said that a few years ago he could 

 go into the market and find apples in variety, including the very best dessert 

 sorts; and for tliat reason he had formed the habit of purchasing from time 

 to time the apples that he desired for home use; but recently he had noted 

 that the better quality of fruit had been crowded from the market and it was 

 rare to find just what a man would like to eat among those put on sale. 



