264 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



but the shoots are clearly distinct from those of yellows. I have not heard of a tree 

 dying from this cause, but the growers have this season taken them out. They are 

 of no use (except that some thrifty souls shipped the fruit this year and got 

 something for it, while spoiling the sale of healthy fruit), and therefore the best 

 growers do not propose to further dally with them. 



This disease and yellows do not doter men from planting the peach, however, 

 More trees will be set next spring, both on new ground or in places where trees 

 have been removed, than ever before. Nor will the planting (I am now speaking of 

 the western part of the state, the "fruit belt") be confined to the peach, but all 

 other kinds of fruit will very largely be set, the growers in the peach regions 

 deeming it wise not to confine their attention and land to one kind. In other por- 

 tions of the state the setting will be large, of everything but the peach. There has 

 been a great impetus to the planting of the currant and gooseberry. These seem 

 destined to be an important part of our annual product hereafter. They are purely 

 northern fruits. We shall never have a southern crop in competition; they need 

 not be picked all in a day nor a week; they can be carried in perfect condition 

 from one end of the country to the other, and remain unsold a long time without 

 serious decadence in condition or quality. 



One effect of the excessive crop of peaches was the shipment of that fruit much, 

 further than it was ever sent before. Peaches were taken from western Michigan to 

 Winnipeg in the one direction and Montreal and New York city in the other. It 

 had been thought that, because of their delicate quality, Michigan peaches could not 

 be sent so far. But refrigeration is found to be as practicable with them as 

 with the same kind of fruit in any state east of the Mississippi. While the prices 

 received were small per bushel (though some sales were made of strictly first- 

 class fruit for ?3 or more per bushel), the aggregate was so great that the peach and 

 pium lands paid at the rate of $50 to $100 net per acre. No fault can be found with 

 such yields of cash as these. The average of the fruit, after the early white 

 varieties were passed, sold for ten to twenty cents or a little more, per fifth 

 basket. 



Certainly, all things considered, there is only hope and cheer in the future for 

 the Michigan fruitgrower. 



The receipts and disbursements of the year, from the society's funds, have 

 been as follows: 



KECEIPTS. 



Balance on hand $104 33 



From local societies 94 50 



Interest on life membership fund 105 70 



Annual memberships 19 00 



Total $323 53 



DISBURSEMENTS. 



Orders Nos. 1 to 5 $191 39 



Expenses of treasurer 28 



Balance on hand 131 86 



Total $323 53 



EDWY O. REID, 



Secretary. 

 treasurer's annual report. 



Of life members there are 205, who have paid $10 each; and the money is loaned 

 on real estate security — $300 to Jacob Snell in Oceana Co., $250 to A. Newman of 

 Grand Rapids, $1,200 to A. A. Whitman of Grand Rapids, and $300 to S. Geer. 

 Grand Rapids. All the interest has been paid up to date. 



Wo have received from Lowell horticultural society the sum of $50; the Port 

 Huron, $5; the Covert, $19.50; Saugatuck and Ganges society, $10; the Gobleville, 

 $10; for annual membership dues, $19; interest on mortgages, $105; interest on 

 deposited interest, 70c, from former treasurer, $104.33; total. $323.53. 



Expenses: Cash to Secretary Reid, $150; to President Morrill, $4.90; to C. J. 

 Monroe, $5.20; to T. T. Lyon, .$5.20; to R. L. Hewitt, librarian, $26.09; expressage 

 and pottage, 28c; total, $191.67. 



Balance on hand, $] 31.86. 



