196 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



fruit industry this Society has performed an important part and is justly entitled to great 

 credit for the work done." 



The peach industry continued to increase and the area planted to peach orchards ex- 

 pand until October 11, 1906, when an unprecedented freeze swept over lower Michigan, 

 wiping out perhaps ninety per cent of the peach orchards of western Michigan. Prior 

 to that time, however, the production of apples had engaged the attention of growers, 

 and old orchards were cared for and renovated, and new orchards planted to this fruit. 

 Some idea of the extent to which this industry has reached may be gained from the follow- 

 ing extracts made from the annual report of President Edward Hutchins before the Society 

 December 18, 1909: 



"The fact that the work of this Society has not been without effect is attested by the 

 fruit shipments of the past season. It is probable that during the season just closed more 

 fruit and doubtless better fruit, judged by the standard of quality, has been shipped from 

 western Allegan county than the whole state of Colorado can boast of, notwithstanding 

 the wide advertising that is being given to that district as a promising fruit-producing 

 section. While something is due to natural and especially favorable conditions, yet it is 

 no doubt true that still more is attributable to the intelligence and enterprise of our citi- 

 zens. * ■* * It must be remembered that natural conditions alonQ never 

 achieved very much of value, humanly speaking. There is a large proportion of Michigan 

 that is capable of producing just as fine apples as we" are accustomed to ship, but not many 

 places in the state are shipping good apples in quantities. 



"The amount of fruit sold in this section the past season is, indeed, enough to gratify 

 the ambitions of the man of unlimited pride. An early estimate of the value of the apple 

 crop alone was placed at a quarter of a million dollars, and the size of the crop as it was 

 finally harvested was far in excess of early estimates, and at that the crop was recognized 

 as a very short one, less than half a crop. Add to this the large quantity of peaches, 

 pears, plums, grapes and small fruits and the approximate must run well up to the half 

 million mark. Surely no line of agricultural pursuit can approach within 25 per cent of 

 this amount on an equal extent of land. I have asked the agents at all of the shipping 

 stations in the vicinity for figures showing the total shipments, but this data does not 

 seem to be compiled by any of them as yet, for I have only received one guess from one 

 station." 



Speaking on the marketing question in the same report Mr. Hutchins says: 



"The great difficulty and weakness of the grower is that he does not know the value of 

 his products. The market is subject to fluctuations and on a falling market he may re- 

 fuse a good offer, thinking that on the basis of former prices it is too low, while, on the 

 other hand, he may accept altogether too low a figure when prices are advancing, as it is 

 not the buyer's business to keep him informed when prices rise. One of the best invest- 

 ments the growers could make would be to employ a good man simply to keep them in- 

 formed regarding market prices and conditions. In default of such a man many would 

 reap large profits by spending more time in posting themselves." 



At a meeting held at Grange Hall, January 29, 1910, the Society discussed the subjects 

 of the home-made diluted, the home-made concentrated and the commercial lime-sulphur 

 preparations for spraying. Mr. T. L. Gooding, speaking on the'subject of the home-made 

 diluted said three years ago he first commenced the use of the lime and sulphur wash. 

 At that time we thought the San Jose scale was going to put us out of business. About 

 30 per cent of his trees had 'scale on — not enough to injure the fruit, butJenough''to show 

 that we had plenty of scale. Had one tree that was completely covered with the scale 

 and by the use of the lime and sulphur the scale was completely destroyed. Since using 

 the lime and sulphur we have found no scale until this fall we found a few, enough to show 

 that we still have them with us. It seems as though we had an expensive plant (an eight- 

 horse boiler with two elevated tanks for cooking), as others have had good results from 

 cooking in kettles, but we feel ours has more than paid its cost and cooking by steam is 

 very convenient and the preparation easily made and handled. Would not say that the 

 scale is a blessing in disguise but thinks it has been a benefit to the careful grower. 



C. B. Welch had made home-made concentrated lime-sulphur that analysis showed to 

 be fully as strong as the commercial article on the market last year. It can be easily 

 prepared with either steam or in a kettle by observing a few requirements and being 

 thorough in doing the work. It can be made before the spraying season comes on and 

 effect a big saving both in time and expense. Mr. Welch uses 125 lbs. sulphur, 60 lbs. 

 lime to 50 gallons of water. 



In speaking upon the use of the commercial article, C. E. Bassett, said he was not there 

 to advocate the use of this spray. We used it last year and will use it again this year. 



