WEST MICHIGAN FKCIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION 217 



as large an increase of other fruit, and with all of this" increase there had 

 teen no advancement made in marketing. Our growers are located in close 

 proximity to the greatest fruit market on earth, when natural conditioms 

 are considered, and this is Chicago and the great northwest, which must 

 depend upon fruit from Michigan. 



The question, then, for the grower to solve is, by what method can these 

 people get their fruit without paying the profits of two or three middle- 

 men. The growers must be united if they are to get pay for their labor. 

 Our system now is good for the commission man but poor for the growler,, 

 and the difficulties can be overcome only by the most persistent effort. 

 There are three ways of accomplishing this. 



First — The most desirable w-ay is to sell at the orchard or landing, 

 which can only be done by inducing buyers to meet the growers there. 



Second — By co-operation and a central bureau of information. 



Third — The plan of selling fruit at auction, which is far better than our 

 present way of consigning. 



Production exceeds the requirements of the markets we are able to 

 reach, and the idea that there is always a good demand for choice fruit 

 is a mistaken one, as was demonstrated by experience last season. 



Mr. James Brassington of Hart led in the discussion by telling of his 

 experience last year, which was very lively in some of his dealings with' 

 the railroads in his efforts to sell direct in car-lots and not through com- 

 mission men. The present season he expected to save twenty cents per 

 bushel on the expense of shipping. 



CAEE IN GROWING NURSERY STOCK. 



In the discussion which followed a paper on ''How to grow healthy 

 peach trees," by Mr, Alexander Hamilton of Bangor, Mr. J. F. Taylor of 

 Douglas remarked that it was very necessary that care be used in taking 

 buds from healthy trees, and that such trees should be marked so they 

 could be w^atched the next season to see if they remained healthy. If they 

 do, it is safe to sav the stock will be healthv. While in the east he learned 

 it was the practice of large eastern nurseries to purchase their stock of 

 farmers who raise the trees to sell, the same as they would wheat. 



FUNGOUS DISEASES OF PLANTS. 



Prof. Taft of the Agricultural college gave an interesting talk, showing: 

 charts in connection that made the talk very plain and interesting. He 

 divided fungi into two classes. First, those that grow on the outside, 

 and second, those that grow on the inside and push out only after they 

 have developed. For San Jose scale he recommended destroying the trees, 

 but if the owmer was determined not to do so, he could spray thoroughly 

 with a solution composed of whale-oil soap one pound, kerosene one gal 

 Ion, and five gallons w'ater, but great care should be used to touch every 

 scale, for one of them left w'ould be capable of multiplying three and one- 

 eighth billion times during one season. Trees can be cut out and destroyed 

 without danger of spreading between October and June 1, and that really 

 was the only way to keep it in check, as it affected all kinds of trees and 

 berry bushes. Fruitgrowers who have purchased trees from eastern nur- 

 series should watch their trees verv closelv. 

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