REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 34&< 



SOUTH HAVEN AND CASCO POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



REPORTED BY SECRETARY GULLEY. 



OFFICERS FOR 1887. 



President — C. J. Monroe. 



Vice President — Frank E. Linderman. 



Secretary — A. G-. Gulley. 



Treasurer — Bush W. Linderman. 



Executive Committee — T. A. Bixby, J. G. Bamsdell, A. E. Briggs. 



This society has progressed with at least its usual vigor the past year. Dur- 

 ing the early part of the season its weekly meetings were kept up at its rooms 

 with great regularity, and the attendance was generally good. During July and 

 August it held six out-door meetings at the residences of members. The places 

 were selected from among a number of invitations and arranged so the different 

 sections of the locality should be visited. At each of these meetings the attend- 

 ance was very large. The programme usually carried out was first to visit the 

 orchards and plantations of the grower, and perhaps those of the near neigh- 

 bors, when all would return to a convenient place and a committee, previously 

 appointed, would report all good and bad points noted in the planting, cultiva- 

 tion, pruning, thinning, or other matters worthy of notice The grower would 

 thus have a chance to reply to any criticisms made and answer any questions 

 asked. Befreshrnents, contributed by all present, would then be served. This 

 order of business occupied the greater part of the afternoon. 



These meetings were very valuable to the growers, as it gave each a chance 

 to see how others did their work, and showed too if they tried to practice what 

 they preached. They brought the families together and made them better 

 acquainted, and in many other ways resulted in much benefit. 



During the early meetings of the year, various topics of interest were taken 

 up and pains were taken to draw out those best informed upon the subject un- 

 der discussion. 



Just before planting season, at a series of meetings, each class of fruit was 

 called up and the members required to express on paper the proportion they 

 would plant of each variety of the class, using both their experience and obser- 

 vation to aid them in deciding. The result was about as follows: Of peaches 

 Hill's Chili, Jacques Bareripe, Barnard, Smock, Golden Drop, Mt. Bose, Hale's 

 Early, Switzerland and Lewis Seedling were those mentioned by the most mem- 

 bers and to be used in quantity about in the order mentioned. 



Of pears, Bartlett, Boussock, Sheldon, Bosc, Anjou, Howell and Clapp's 

 Favorite were generally named, with Angouleme and Louise Bonne if dwarf trees 

 are used. 



