136 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Suow'b Orange is becoming, as it deserves, a great favorite with our grow- 

 ers. It is a good shipper, ripens after the Crawford and Barnard and before 

 the Chili gluts, and in plentiful years goes into market at a time when peaches 

 sell well, while in scarce years, when many of our leading varieties are 

 destroyed by the leaf curl, it bears full crops and sells for big prices — over a 

 dollar per basket, as it did two years ago. 



Bronson's Seedling ripens with the late Chilis, is hardy and productive, and 

 one of our very best shippers. For locations where the late Crawford is shy 

 and the Chili shrivels I know of nothing unless it might be the Golden Drop, 

 that is so desirable. 



Corner's Seedling Barnard ripens with the old Early Barnard, which it 

 equals in all respects, while it is less liable to rot and leaf curl, a better ship- 

 per and surer bearer. 



The Dumont is of late origin but is fast coming to the front. In size it 

 nearly equals the Crawford ; flesh yellow, firm, and very sweet; pit small; 

 ripens after the Jaques ; is very hardy and productive; au excellent siiipper, 

 and considered by those who have it a great acquisition. 



The Chili seedlings that have originated in Michigan are very numerous and 

 some of them very much superior to the old New York Hill's Chili. Among 

 the very best is the one brought here by Bradley Williams, of Kalamazoo, and 

 known in the vicinity of Douglas as the Cass Chili. It is a sure bearer, and on 

 suitable soil is a most excellent and beautiful peach and one that has paid the 

 growers more money than any other. My neighbor, Mr. V. Wadsworth, of 

 Peach Belt, sold his entire crop of this kind of Chili, in 1^84 and 1885, for 

 about one dollar per basket, and one entire shipment going for ^^.2o per basket 

 and another of 180 baskets (36 bushels) for $180. 



Of the kinds we are unable to name, none have attracted more attention than 

 has the one we call Barber or Hinman. It is as large and beautiful as the 

 Crawford, tree hardy and a moderately good bearer. 



The Golden Drop is better known at South Haven than it is here, so I shall 

 ask some of our South Haven friends to tell us about it. 



The peach we call Crane's Early Yellow is the earliest yellow-fieshed peach 

 shipped from Fennville. It is, when well cultivated, nearly the size of a Craw- 

 ford, very productive, a beautiful orange yellow with deep red cheek, and comes 

 in just as the Hale is going out; is somewhat similar to the South Haven fruit, 

 known in that vicinity as the Hamlin, Burns, and Overhiser peaches. 



With these and a few other varieties, which are required to make a complete 

 succession of ripening, peach growing, even on fair locations within the Michi- 

 gan peach belt, which reaches far north as well as south of Douglas, can not 

 fail to be a success. 



CONTEMPORARY OPINION. 



A. C. Merritt had tried the Golden Drop. At first it was golden indeed, 

 but later, though larger than at first, it has lacked color; yet he deems it a 

 very good peach and would plant it if he had none. The fault noted may 

 have come from over-fertilization and peculiar seasons. It bears young, 

 freely, and continuously. He deemed it a great acquisition. 



J. J. Atherley: It is not as hardy as Chili, and ripens just after. His 

 fruits of this sort had lost color also and were small, but he thought the 

 former was caused by over-bearing. He would be cautious about setting it. 



