102 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



quince, but the two are very much alike in fruit. So far it has with us proved 

 to be no larger. 



Hong Kong was shown at the New Orleans exposition, of enormous size, as 

 grown at the south. The plant is moderately hardy and vigorous here, but 

 we think has not yet fruited in our state. 



A TOTE OF THANKS 



was given Mr. Lyon for his excellent paper, and Mr. W. A. Brown of Benton 

 Harbor said he was glad to see this vote of thanks, as it showed that President 

 Lyon's gieat efforts are appreciated at home. New fruits is a subject not 

 many can be well posted upon, as what sorts are best can not be really known 

 until after trial upon different soils and under various modes of cultivation. 

 His section had stood by the Wilson strawberry, but must bid it good-bye 

 because of blight of the foliage. But what shall take its place? In the South 

 they have had the same difficulty — these evils usually travel north — and they 

 have generally substituted the Crescent. He doubted if we could do any 

 better, and thought it would be generally adopted next year. Some have 

 done well with the Sharpless, getting $2 to $3 per case, but not all can grow 

 it. The Jewell seems to be a coming berry, but it will be three or four years 

 before we can test it well. Mr. Brown further said he set three acres of the 

 Marlboro raspberry, a year ago last spring. The plants look well, being large 

 and vigorous ; and the fruit, though poor in taste, promises to become a 

 favorite market sort. The Turner holds its own against all comers. The 

 Cuthbert runs out in a few years. He hoped the Wilson Jr., blackberry 

 would prove to be distinct from the old Wilson, and thinks it will be so. 

 Trouble occurs there this season by imperfect fertilization of some blackber- 

 ries, due to a double blossom. Mr. Brown was asked as to the conditions of 

 success with the Sharpless strawberry. He said the growing of this berry is 

 one of the fine arts. He made a failure of it, having put the plants on low 

 ground where the blossoms were ruined by frost. The Sharpless must have 

 good soil and location, with mulch and culture, and be kept in hills. 



Kufus Brunson, of Benton Harbor, said that in growing the Sharpless one 

 must first look to his plants, getting them from strong, heavy soil aird from 

 plants that had proved to be most prolific bearers. They do best on new soil, 

 sandy loam, in hills three feet by eighteen inches apart. Keep runners back 

 until late in August, then allow a few to set in each hill, four to six inches 

 apart. Cultivate until ripe and then put on a marsh hay mulch. He had 

 got this season the prices named by Mr. Brown and had shipped fruit that in. 

 size looked more like peaches than strawberries. 



Mr. Linderman said he would not give up the Wilson for all the blight 

 that had so far appeared, which he thought due to the last and uupropitious 

 season. He will stand by the Wilson and Crescent until something better 

 appears. 



Localities were called upon for designation of the sort of strawberry chiefly 

 cultivated in each. This gave two points for the Manchester, three for Wil- 

 son, three fur Crescent, and two for Wilson and Crescent together. 



