PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING 193 



-are not sure enough, and the temperature here in winter may be the 

 reason for it. I have a piece of ground that I think possibly I might 

 raise peaches on with partial success. Could I set out peach trees upon 

 that ground, say twenty feet apart, and then put an apple tree, a North- 

 ern Spy tree — why could not I take the chances of getting a few crops of 

 peaches, and then, when the apple trees get large enough, cut out the 

 peach trees? 



President Morrill: I will refer that to Mr. Graham. 



Mr. Graham: Well, we have tried that in our section considerably and 

 given it up as a failure. The situation is just this: If your section is 

 suitable for peaches and your peach orchard succeeds, why, you will be 

 cutting down your apple trees. You would better have your peach orchard 

 by itself. I do not think it good practice to mix the two, for various 

 reasons. I would very much rather plant my peach trees sixteen or 

 twenty feet apart, and by themselves. 



Mr, Morrill: I believe that is the experience of nearly all the old 

 growers in the state. 



APPLES IN GBATIOT COUNTY. 



Q: Would an apple orchard of from twenty to forty acres be profitable 

 in Gratiot county? If so, what varieties should be planted and in what 

 proportion? 



Secretary Eeid: It would be well for some person in Gratiot county 

 to say whether the apple grows thriftily here and bears ordinarily each 

 year or each alternate year, and whether there are any peculiar conditions 

 that are different from what they know to exist anywhere else in the state. 

 If that information is given from the people here, the questioner could 

 tell the probability of the profit. 



Mr. Brook: I think the apple does very well in this section of country, 

 as well as any other fruit, tree fruit, that we have. I think it is or could 

 be successfully grown here. I do not think there is any question about 

 that. 



Q: Is it ever marketed here in large quantities? 



Mr. Brook: No. That is the point, exactly. If a man raises a large 

 crop of apples here, what is he going to do with it, how is he going to 

 market it, how can he do it profitably? 



Dr. Beal: It depends on whether the apples are really good. 



Mr. Brook: Well, I understand that, and the supposition is that they 

 are. 



Mr. Allen: I was born and brought up in this county; and years ago, 

 before there were any insect pests, we used to raise lots of apples, and of 

 course sell to the local market; never shipped any to amount to anything, 

 because they were not raised in large enough quantities. Of course, any- 

 thing that is shipped has to be handled in quantities, to make it pay. But 

 the orchards have been sadly neglected of late years, especially the old 

 orchards. Some people are setting out new orchards and the trees seem 

 to thrive and do well, and we raise some of the best Spies I ever saw, and 

 also good Baldwins. They are the only two really salable apples we have 

 ever raised. The Spy and Baldwin we could sell without any trouble, and 

 ^of course we have summer apph s in plentiful supply — that is, early apples. 

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