PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING. 243 



commencing to fruit; but after beginning tliey fruited right along 

 heavily. 



Mr. Hale: Reeves is too shy a bearer to be profitable the country 

 over. It is a very large, round peach, of high color, very delicate as 

 a shipper, only suitable for near-by local markets, and too uncertain 

 a bearer for anybody to dare to plant when there are so many other 

 profitable varieties. I should never plant it anywhere, nor advise any- 

 one to plant it; but if you want a few baskets of very showy peaches, 

 to brag over, why, perhaps you will find them suitable, if you have 

 an orchard large enough, for it is shy. 



The President: That is my observation. 



Mr. Stevens: If I have Reeves I can not agree entirely with Mr. 

 Hale. Those I had were grown on three-year-old trees; that is, three 

 years old last spring. They bore quite heavily for their age, this year^ 

 but they were very delicate and did not color very well; but the foliage 

 was very heavy, and they were so exceedingly delicate that I had to 

 pick them very green in order to get them into the market at all. 



Mr. Rork: How about Reed's Early Golden? 



Mr. Braman: I would like to say a word in regard to Reeves. I 

 set the trees nine years ago last spring; they began bearing at five. 

 The first year they were not very highly colored, but have borne every 

 year since and given a very high color. They are yellow, with a bright 

 red, ripen just past Early Crawford, and are a very good peach. I 

 have examined them nearly every year, and it seemed as though the 

 buds were killed, and still there would be enough for £u good heavy 

 crop each year, and there were no culls; they did not require thin- 

 ning, and were equal in color to Crawford, but in shape a trifle longer. 



The President: I have a call for Reed's Early Golden. Mr. Rork^ 

 what do you know about it, what starts you to asking questions about 

 that? 



Mr. Rork: Because I have some trees. They ripen just after Early 

 Crawford, and I was in a little doubt as to their productiveness and 

 their hardiness. 



The President: Where do they come from and where are they grown? 

 Mr. Rork: They came from New Jersey. 



Mr. Lyon: It has only been tried about a couple of years, on the 

 station ground, and my recollection about it, as compared with others,, 

 is not quite distinct enough. But my impressions are favorable for 

 it as a medium variety. It will range, perhaps, with Barnard in quality, 

 but not at all like it in productiveness; but as to that I would not 

 feel at liberty to speak confidently at all. 



Mr. Whitmeyer: Is there any difference between New Prolific and 

 Kalamazoo? The reason I ask is that it was stated several times 

 recently that they are identical. Mr. Stearns perhaps can answer that. 



Mr. Stearns: I have never seen what is called New Prolific, but was 

 told by a gentleman, I think Mr. Graham, that New Prolific, Brunson, 

 and Kalamazoo were all on exhibition here at Grand Rapids, a year 

 ago this fall, and but very little difference could be discerned in the- 

 three sorts. 



