REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 329 



WEXFORD COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



REPORTED BY SECRETARY SAWYER. 



OFFICERS FOR 1886. 



President — T. W. Crosby. 

 Secretary — E. F. Sawyer. 

 Treasurer — N. L. Gerrish. 



Our society was organized last winter by C. TV. Garfield, State secretary, who 

 gave us some excellent advice, and we started with high hopes of doing our- 

 Eelves and our county much good in propagating fruit. Our experience, and 

 that of our farmers generally, has been so exasperating in regard to fruit rais- 

 ing, as well as horticulture generally, that we all determined something must 

 be done to enable us to determine whether it was possible or not for us to raise 

 trees which would withstand the frosts of winter, and still bear fruit sufficiently 

 good to be worth the expense of cultivating. 



The proverbial " fruit tree agent " came to this region "early and often," 

 and convinced ninny of our farmers that the tropical fruits would do well here 

 if properly planted, and accordingly our farmers gazed with watering mouths 

 and louging eyes at the fine pictures of peach and other tender fruit shown by 

 the agent, ordered a good supply, planted the stock — usually stunted — watched 

 it lovingly and tenderly, saw it all die, and then threw the stumps away with 

 the assertion that this country was no good for fruit. 



Again, when any of our people had a little better luck, and their trees did 

 live, and reached a bearing age, it was invariably found that none of them 

 were the kinds purchased and paid for. 



Experience, though, in this as in every other case, proving expensive, was, 

 nevertheless, valuable; and now we have learned that only a few varieties will 

 thrive in this part of the State, but that when any kind really does well here, 

 it can be depended on as entirely as in any latitude. 



During the year we have held four meetings, and the discussions taken part in 

 by our farmers have proved of great benefit to all those who attended, tbough, 

 as is usual, those who should take the most interest in such proceedings, are 

 most liable to be absent. 



Our June meeting was in the nature of a strawberry festival, and a fine time 

 was had by all, and we have a better prospect for next year. During each 

 meeting the information elicited in regard to the most profitable varieties to be 

 raised here was very valuable to those whs intend to make northern Michigan 

 their home. 



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