166 STATE HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Peaches, 235,040 baskets; apples, 18.114: barrels; grapes, 33,000 baskets, 

 berries, 8,450 cases. 



From June 13 to December 6, 1881, the bank had made the following pay- 

 ments on checks and drafts issued for fruit shipped from South Haven : 



Jane and July.. $9,889 39 



August.. ,. 16,281 68 



September 58,353 77 



October 38,088 78 



Kovember and December 12,399 37 



Total paid by bank. $135,012 99 



Estimated amount paid to shippers in Chicago, and received in 



currency for sales to local speculators 20,000 00 



Total value of fruit shipped 1155,012 99 



Last year the amount realized for fruit shipped from this port was only 

 $72,043.58, or $82,979 less than the receipts of this year from the same source. 

 Alluding to the yellows, Mr. Monroe stated that Mr. Williams, one of the 

 yellows commissioners, had examined 71,353 peach trees in the vicinity of 

 South Haven during the past season, and the loss by yellows was only 

 7-J per cent. In 1879 the loss from the same disease was A^ per cent and in 

 1880 12^ per cent. 



Mr. Hanford, of Indiana, gave statistics about apple-growing in his State, 

 •which tended to prove that it was a remunerative industry. He thought apple- 

 growers generally sold their fruit too early in the season. If they kept it till 

 January or February they would realize much more money. He kept liis fruit 

 in a building specially designed for that purpose. It was a patent structure, 

 whose mode of construction he was not at liberty to divulge, but he described 

 it as an " ice- house with the ice out." He thought the right of erecting similar 

 houses could be purchased very reasonably. He found no difficulty in keeping 

 his apples in it until March or April. A building in which 3,000 barrels could 

 be stored would only cost about $300. It is, also, an excellent place in which 

 to keep vegetables. 



Mr. G. H. LaFleur, of Allegan, read a short paper upon 



COMMERCIAL FRUIT GROWING. 



During the past few years at our meetings the peach has been prominent 

 among the subjects under discussion. Having gone over the peach question 

 thoroughly, it seems to me that we could spend an hour profitably in discussing 

 the apple and its future, as a question of practical importance that should be 

 squarely met and thoroughly analyzed, to enable the fruit grower to act judic- 

 iously in whatever steps he may take in planting, cultivating, and marketing 

 apples. 



One may make a prediction upon this or any other subject, but unless based 

 upon sound reasons and antecedent causes which naturally lead to certain re- 

 sults, he may mislead and cause more harm than good. However, I make the 

 statement that the prospect for growing apples for market is better to-day than 

 at any previous time. From the time of planting the first orchards in Michi- 

 gan to the present, we have passed through a school of experience which ought 



