PROCEEDINGS OF THE WINTER MEETING. 49 



leading authorities pronounce it the only perfect peach, and all agree on 

 its extreme hardiness, productiveness, and large size. If it does as well in 

 Michigan as elsewhere, it will prove an acquisition. Hill's Chili has been 

 the standard of hardiness for many years, and all hardy varieties are com- 

 pared with this; but, like many old varieties, this one is rapidly falling 

 from grace, and while it never was adapted to very light soils it is very 

 rare that a crop of renlly good fruit is seen on any soil. It suffers very 

 quickly from drouth and is subject to the black fungi, sometimes called 

 mildew. While I am not familiar with the Wager peach I am satisfied 

 that it is an excellent yellow variety, very hardy and productive; but in 

 Allegan county a peach called Bronson is disputing ground with it. Gold 

 Drop, wherever tried, is a favorite, owing to its hardiness, productiveness, 

 and good qualities. Under normal conditions, there is no doubt that it 

 will stand a temperature of fifteen to twenty degrees below zero and pro- 

 duce a crop; but unless it is properly thinned it will be small. The Smock 

 is probably the latest peach it is safe to set in this state. It is a very 

 hardy, large, late peach, bears young, and is in every way satisfactory. 

 Much more might be said about these varieties, and numerous other good 

 ones not mentioned here; but from those given a good hardy list can be 

 made which will produce fruit anywhere it is possible to grow peaches, 

 and to extend the list might be tedious. 



In the matter of plums, I am as inexperienced as in cherries, and hope 

 to hear from some of our large plum-growers regarding soils, varieties, etc. 



In pears I would name the following varieties as being grown success- 

 fully on good light soils: Clapp's Favorite, Bartlett, Sheldon, and Seckel. 

 There may be others, but these have done best according to my observa- 

 tion; but it is very doubtful if any pear is a very great success on very light 

 soil. Still, I have in mind a few young pear orchards on light soil, all in 

 one neighborhood, where the owners prepared for setting by digging holes 

 about three feet across and three feet deep, then putting in five or six 

 bushels of clay mixed with the top soil, and setting the trees on that; and 

 nothing could be finer than those trees, now just commencing to bear. 

 Another orchard of 100 trees was prepared in the same manner, on poor 

 sand, but the holes were partly filled with green sod spaded off the surface of 

 an old pasture. These were four years set last spring, and twelve to six- 

 teen feet high, and most of them bore some choice fruit last year. I am 

 convinced that where clay is obtainable, pears and apples can be grown 

 very successfully by this method; but of course they can not be as long- 

 lived as they would be where the soil is just right naturally. 



The varieties of apple which succeed best on light soil in my locality 

 seem to be Red Astrachan, Maiden Blush, Oldenburg, Spy, and Baldwin, 

 all well-known old varieties. Additions might be made to this list, but our 

 people do not find apples as profitable on such soils as some other crops, 

 and are digging out many orchards in order to use the land for other pur- 

 poses. Still, in any locality where it is desirable to grow them, I 

 am satisfied they can be grown successfully by the exercise of a little good 

 judgment in preparing soil, selection of varieties, method of culture, 

 fertilizing, etc. 



In conclusion, permit me to say that any man who has a family and an 

 acre of land, if he fails to grow an ample supply, is neglecting his duty to 

 them; and any farmer in this state who does not grow enough fruit for his 

 family needs reforming - and many of them might find a snug little income 



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