130 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



VARIETIES OF PEACH FOR PLANTINGj 



a topic upon which A. S. Dyckman was appointed to lead, was, in his 

 absence, taken up by S. K. Lewis of Ganges. In an orchard of 1,G00 trees he 

 would set for early sorts — Alexander, a few Early Rivers, and set Lewis Seed- 

 ling extensively, with Hale's Early and Crane's Early Yellow. He would set 

 early sorts because it is to the grower's interest to have a succession of fruit 

 through the season, and there is profit in the early kinds. For the intermedi- 

 ate crop he would set many Weed's Late Barnard (later and larger than regu- 

 lar Barnard), largely of Snow's Orange (a good peach, smoother than Early 

 Barnard and of better quality in flesh and for shipping), and 200 Jaques. 

 He would "be shy of both Crawfords except in extremely favorable places, 

 using the Barber or Hinman instead of Crawford (it being hardier, better, 

 and nearly a^ large), and Brunson Seedling in place of Late Crawford. Also 

 set some of Plummer, so-called (said to be same as Gudgeon's Late), a white 

 peach ; and lastly, 200 or 250 Smock." He had unsatisfactory results from 

 Old Mixon and Stump, the latter especially not yielding well. Ten or twelve 

 years ago the speaker and his brother, N. W. Lewis, went to Coloma, Berrien 

 county, to get of a Mr. Ray trees of what was called the St. Joe Sugar peach. 

 They were seedlings of Hill's Chili, but came true to name, except one, and 

 that was the originator of the present Lewis Seedling. It resembles Hale in 

 appearance and quality, ripens between it and Barnard, is nearly a freestone, 

 and is very profitable because no other sort ripens at its season. 



Alexander Hamilton indorsed Mr. Lewis, except that he would substitute 

 Louise for Rivers and plant some Early Barnard. This peach does well in 

 Ganges though not at South Haven. So also does the yellow Honest John. 

 He did not think well of Mountain Rose, because, being a white peach, it 

 does not compare well with Barnard or Early Crawford. 



S. M. Hamlin, of near Douglas, spoke well of Yellow Rareripe (it had given 

 annual crops since 1869), Honest John, Switzerland, Old Mixon, Gros Mignon, 

 and Gudgeon. He likes all these and would plant them. Switzerland is 

 large, white, ships well, and differs from Stump chiefly in being later. 



G. H. LaFleur: The Honest John or Large Early York is white, but our 

 Honest John is yellow and is really Yellow Rareripe. 



J. F. Taylor: Weed's Late Barnard is in fact Burgeon's Yellow. These 

 local names are confusing. Snow's Orange must be weU thinned or it will be 

 very small. 



D. W. Wiley: Soil must be considered. Hill's Chili is poor on light soil, 

 as it will not stand drouth, which often comes at its time of ripening; but it 

 is good on the heavier soils. Per contra, Robert Reid of Douglas said he got 

 his best Chilis on light soil, having them also on heavy land. "But," said 

 Mr. Wiley, "while Mr. Reid's soil is sandy, it is moist, dark and loamy." 

 Walter Phillips said the Chili about Grand Haven shrivels and is woolly; and 

 S. R. Lewis said it was not good on either sand ridges or heavy clay. 



CULTIVATION OF THE ORCHARD. 



A. C. Merritt, of Casco, opening on the topic " Cultivation of the Orchard," 

 said that without thorough cultivation we can have nothing good to take to 

 market. Trees are so anxious for 'cultivation that their roots will reach out 

 to tilled ground when many feet away from it. As well never set trees as not 



