REPORT OF THE POMOLOGtIST. 265 



Woodruff. It is of the species F. lahrusca, and somewhat resembles 

 Dracut Amber, but is much better in quality. Indeed it is very finely 

 flavored and is of a clear amber color. The berry is large and the 

 bunch medium sized and compact. 



Mr. C. P. Chidester, of Belleview, showed several seedlings, and 

 among them one of very superior quality, that looked much like Ca- 

 tawba and tasted like Brighton. It was named Lyon by the exam- 

 ining committee in honor of Mr. T. T. Lyon, the noted pomologist of 

 Michigan. It is well worthy of further trial. 



I visited several places of interest at Grand Rapids. One mile 

 north of the city, on a high hill, I saw one of the finest vineyards that 

 it has ever been my pleasure to see anywhere. It was in a high state 

 of tilth, and the vines were loaded with fruit. Worden was the most 

 profitable variety grown there. The fruit of that variety was mostly 

 marketed, but some of the vines were yet loaded, and afiiorded oppor- 

 tunity to see how it did. Certainly it is all that the Concord can claim 

 to be in every respect, and more in some particulars. The Concord 

 in this vineyard was barely fit to market when I was there (Septem- 

 ber 21), but the Worden was nearly gone. Besides, the fruit was 

 larger and better flavored. 



A peach orchard covered the crest and slopes towards all points of 

 the compass. On the south and west sides and on the crest the trees 

 were either dead or injured by the winter of 1885-86. The greatest 

 damage was on the southern slope. On the northern and eastern 

 slopes there was a heavy crop of fruit then on the trees. 



At the fair then in progress at Grand Rapids I saw a grand display 

 of quinces, mostly from the western counties of the State. Plums 

 were also shown equally as fine as those seen at Jackson. These were 

 mostly from the region of Traverse Bay, to the northward, and near 

 Mackinaw Straits. The apples, peaches, and pears were also large 

 and luscious. Making my way northwestward about 100 miles far- 

 ther, I spent some days in examining the fruits of the Grand Traverse 

 region. 



Here quite a different state of things was manifest. The condition 

 of all fruits was much later than that in the regions South. The 

 plum crop was about gone at that time, September 24, but I could 

 see from the bent and broken branches something of their departed 

 glory, and here and there was to be found a belated specimen. I 

 took much pains to determine, if possible, the cause of their success. 

 I examined the orchards and questioned the owners. Some had used 

 the jarring process to catch the curculio. Others had sprayed the 

 trees with Paris green and some with London purple. Occasionally 

 one had tried all these plans. Many had done nothing to prevent the 

 ravages of this little pestiferous insect. In all cases, including those 

 in which no remedy had been tried, a crop of plums had been gathered. 

 I came to the conclusion that nature had by some means cut short 

 the numbers of this insect, and an abundance of fruit had been the 

 result. But I was assured by many that this was an unusual cir- 

 cumstance, for nearly every year they have suffered a considerable 

 diminution of the yield by reason of the curculio. All the orchard 

 fruits seeraed to be flourishing. Apple trees were bearing a full crop. 

 Near Manistee, and in the region of Bear Lake, Frankfort, Benzonia, 

 and Traverse City this fruit was comparatively free from insect or 

 fungous aff'ections. Some varieties, such as Fameuse or Snow and 

 Swarr, were troubled with scab. But the lighter fungous disease, that 

 give the apples a dirty appearance in the South and West, was not 



