REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 303 



At the August meeting Secretary Ganzhorn explained the process of budding 

 quite minutely, and was asked numerous questions about the details of the 

 process. 



The raising of seedling peaches was again discussed. J. D. Baldwin and 

 Jacob Ganzhorn contended that we ought not to go into this business in a hap- 

 hazzard way ; but should begin on some' foundation. The pits of some well 

 known hardy variety should be chosen, and such as ripen about the time we 

 desire. 



At the September meeting Chas. H. Woodruff displayed his new seedling 

 grape, White Ann Arbor, which was much admired and won universal praise. 



Judge Page asked whether it was good practice to cut back peach trees during 

 the growing season. 



Jacob Ganzhorn said that when the growth is too rampant a shortening in 

 would help to mature the wood properly for the winter; but if but a moderate 

 growth is made by the tree, no material benefit would be derived by summer 

 pruning. 



The barbed-wire fence was strongly advocated, and also the picket-wire 

 fence for orchards. 



John J. Kobertson believed that the picket-wire fence is the best for an 

 orchard. 



E. A. Nordman said that he would recommend a strong, heavy picket. If 

 a barbed wire fence was put up, he would use at least six wires instead of four 

 as is usually done, and would put the posts eighteen feet apart. 



S. Mills was decidedly in favor of barbed-wire fence ; he said stock should be 

 introduced to the wires before driving them in such an enclosure, and by so 

 doing no fatal result to the stock would be incurred. 



Jacob Ganzhorn said that the fruit man is obliged to fence against tres- 

 passers rather than against stock, and for this reason believes the picket-wire 

 fence the best for him. 



Prof. E. B. Nichols said he had the osage orange hedge, and that this made 

 a good fence, and he woul^ recommend it with confidence. 



Jacob Ganzhorn said that wherever the osage hedge crosses a low place it 

 winter-killed in severe cold winters ; the honey locust was entirely hardy, and 

 would therefore be a better hedge plant. 



Mr. Bodwell showed the meeting a honey locust plant and a separate branch 

 four feet long taken from a three-years-old hedge plant. He has this 

 hedge in use and said it would make a safe fence against live stock in from 

 three to four years. 



A special meeting was held in the middle of the month for perfecting plans 

 and preparations for the fruit exhibit at the county fair in October. 



The October meeting was mainly devoted to the county fair. 



Merely business of a local character was transacted at the November meeting 

 and delegates appointed to the annual meeting of the State Horticultural Soci- 

 ety for December, 1881. The weather being unpropitious and people tired out 

 by the recent fairs, the meeting had but a small attendance. 



ANNUAL MEETING. 



After annual reports the secretary read a communication sent in by Dr. 

 Gonklin, of Manchester, of the committee on the preservation of fruit. He 



