.WEST MICHIGAN FRUIT GROWERS' SOCIETY. 101 



black, and in flavor the richest and juciest black we know, excepting, possibly, 

 the old Miami. It stood the past two severe winters, with me, perfectly, and 

 seems likely to prove highly valuable. It is yet very rare. 



Centennial, Canada, Kellogg, Chapman, Indiana, SpringOeld, Nemaha, are 

 quite recent introductions, having yet to establish a reputation. 



Beebe's Golden is exceedingly productive but is a mere reproduction of 

 the ordinary yellow cap, with the objection, common to them all, of turning 

 to a dirty looking brown when over ripe. 



BLACKBERllIES. 



The most popular so-called hardy blackberries, Snyder, Taylor, Stone, and 

 others, failed of a crop last season, from injury by the previous winter's cold, 

 while those who relied upon the confessedly tender Lawton and Wilson, by 

 protecting the plants at a very slight expense, reaped a heavy and highly 

 remunerative crop. From this and other experience we have become thorough- 

 ly convinced that a strictly hardy blackerry is yet unoriginated, if not in fact 

 unattainable, and that the sooner we abandon such expectation the better for 

 all concerned. 



From our limited experience we regard Wallace Wilson, Jr., Barnard, 

 Ancient Briton, Western Triumph, Agawam, and perhaps Knox, as promising 

 and likely to prove valuable, somewhat in the order named. 



Dehring, Freed, Bumton, Early Cluster, Bonanza, Stayman, Wachusett, 

 and Missouri Mammoth, are either yet too new or too imperfectly tested to 

 warrant a definite opinion respecting them. 



Early Harvest, Texas Early, and Crystal White, are all excessively tender 

 here — the last exceedingly beautiful, when we get the fruit, which is but 

 seldom. 



CURRANTS. 



Fay's is very vigorous and the fruit very large and good in flavor, but with 

 us it has not yet justified its claims to its title — prolific. 



Lee's is no more prolific, so far, than Black Naples, to which it is very 

 similar though less hardy. 



GOOSEBERRIES. 



Industry, recently disseminated by Elwanger & Barry, although a Euro- 

 pean variety, has thus far withstood mildew quite as well as our natives. 



Champion, an alleged native of Oregon, withstood the previous very trying 

 winter here and made a fair growth last year; but we regret to say it is now 

 dead. 



A recent seedling by Jas. Dougall of Windsor, Ontario, is now in the hands 

 of Albf^rtston & Hobbs of Indiana but not yet offered for sale. A trial plant, 

 received from them last year, is doing well but has not yet fruited. 



QUINCES. 



Champion is rather late and does not properly mature its fruit within our 

 season. 



Ilea is a somewhat more vigorous plant than the common apple or orange 



