TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL MEETING. 67 



attention for their adaptability to peach-growing. The moderating influence 

 upon climate of large bodies of water had already led to the recognition 

 of a " peach belt " along lake Michigan and the establishment of success- 

 ful orchards in that part of the state; but the equally important principle 

 of air drainage in its effect upon temperature was just at this time becom- 

 ing widely recognized by fruitgrowers, largely, no doubt, through the 

 publication of a discussion ui^on the subject which took place at a meet- 

 ing of the State Pomological society at Grand Rapids in the winter of 

 1872. This discovery of the value of elevated situations for the produc- 

 tion of the more tender fruits quickly led to the formation of a number of 

 peach-growing centers in the interior of the state. Among these none 

 has proved more successful than that at Ann Arbor, where the deep gorge 

 of the Huron forms an admirable drainage channel for drawing the cold 

 air away from the hills surrounding the city. 



I am inclined thus to dwell upon the importance of elevation for the 

 peach, from the fact that it has been somewhat overlooked here, under the 

 impression that the peach planted anywhere at Ann Arbor was certain to 

 succeed. Hence we have some orchards planted on land which lies so low 

 that only in exceptionally favorable seasons is a full crop produced. The 

 -experience of the past season of 1892 has been highly instructive on this 

 point, since upon the high elevations west of the city the crop was never 

 more abundant, while as a whole, and particularly upon the lower hills 

 east of the city, the peach crop was nearly a failure. The setting of peach 

 orchards has fallen off somewhat within the last few years, and I know of 

 but one plantation of any considerable size to be made in this vicinity the 

 ooming spring. The discovery of yellows in a number of our orchards last 

 season has doubtless had some effect in checking the further planting of 

 the peach until it is determined what shall be the result of the efforts now 

 being made to exterminate or check the progress of this disease. The 

 varieties of the peach most generally planted here are Early Crawford, 

 Melocoton, and Smock. Hill's Chili, which has been highly recommended 

 from this locality on account of its hardiness and productiveness, is being 

 generally discarded, as it has not been found sufficiently vigorous to bring 

 its fruit to full development except under high cultivation or in compar- 

 atively moist and fertile soils. 



Small fruits do remarkably well here, though their cultivation has also 

 fallen off of late, owing to the low prices which prevailed a few years ago 

 when (in 1886) by vote of our horticultural society the cultivation of small 

 fruits in this locality was declared to be no longer profitable. During the 

 past two years, however, prices have advanced and there are signs of 

 renewed activity in this direction. 



The strawberry, which was formerly exported in considerable quantities, 

 is now grown only for the home market. The varieties now chiefly culti- 

 vated are Crescent, Sharpless, Bubach and Warfield. Woodruff's No. 1, 

 formerly extensively grown here, has proved to be wanting in vigor and 

 subject to blight. 



The Cuthb^t is now the only red raspberry grown to any extent and 

 gives universal satisfaction. Gregg is still the leading black-cap, though 

 not so hardy as could be wished. A new early black-cap called Conrath is 

 attracting some attention here. It is supposed to be a chance seedling of 

 the Gregg and was found on the farm of Mr. C. H. Woodruff, the well- 

 known originator of several new fruits, including the Woodruff strawberry 

 and the White Ann Arbor and Woodruff Red grapes. The new raspberry 



