WASHTENAW COUNTY POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 373 



in considering the feasibility of organizing a fruit exchange, but the matter 

 has not yet taken shape. 



Reports on the fruit prospects in the spring were very flattering. Results, 

 however, did not justify the expectations. Young peach trees failed to set 

 the fruit. Rains failed to come in raspberry time, though this crop was 

 fair. The blackberry suffered more. There never was such a fall drouth 

 known in the history of the State before. The want of rains left peaches 

 very small, thus cutting a small crop smaller. Cherry and pear crops were 

 light. The grape crop was good, though some vineyards suffered con- 

 siderably from rot. The fall weather proved too cold for making grapes 

 sweet, and therefore this fruit sold very slowly in the markets. The apple 

 crop was good in quantity but ruined by the collin moth. The bulk of this 

 crop had to go to the evaporators and cider mills. 



With the exception of the apple, all the fruits grown here will be consider- 

 ably planted in this county in the coming spring. The peach will likely take 

 the lead. 



At our last county fair, there was a grand display of grapes, overshadowing 

 all other fruits in appearance. It elicited more praise than any other fruit, 

 the Niagara and Woodruff Red shining out supreme. The exhibit of pears was 

 good. As high as twenty varieties were shown by single exhibitors. There 

 were many entries of apples, and the specimens fair, but too wormy to be con- 

 sidered first-class as an exhibit. Our fruit men must not falter in a struggle 

 with the codlin moth, or the excellence of the apple will be lost to us. There 

 is another important subject that confronts us in this connection. It is the 

 giving out of the favorite old varieties. We must either learn how to restore 

 these to former perfection, or experiment with newer sorts. Probably the 

 better course to pursue is to do both. 



Exhibits of fruits in season at our meetings continue to be a pleasing feature 

 to attendants. We also aften have flowers. Our meetings are now and then 

 enlivened with reports by members on their visits to distant states, relating 

 observations on fruits, etc. 



Jacob Ganzhorn", Secretary. 



CLIMATAL EFFECTS OF FORESTS. 



The problem of the effects of forests on climate and weather is not a new 

 one; it has been discussed for upward of 300 years* yet in this long interval 

 no universal agreement has been reached on the subject. The Germans are 

 indeed entirely positive that in their country the effects of forests are very 

 evident, and Herr von Bebber in 1877 formulated the unmistakable effects 

 into sixteen propositions, f These propositions are: 



I. The forest lessens the extremes of heat and cold without making any 

 notable change in the mean temperature. 



II. The forest air is always relatively damp, and hence the presence 

 of the forest tends to the preservation, and somewhat to the increase, of the 

 humidity of the air. 



III. The tendency to precipitation, and hence the probability of rain, is 

 increased by the presence of the forest. 



* The oldest reference known to me is the order for forest police of Salzburg in 1524. See GUnther, 

 Grundztizi der Geophysik, II., 342. 

 t As above, p. 246. 



