480 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



temperature of the wintry months at Traverse City, at the head 

 of Grand Traverse Baj^, is from seven to twelve degrees higher 

 than at Manitowoc, Wis.; Hazzlewood, Minn.; Gardiner, Me., and 

 Montreal C. E.; and from one to three degrees higher than that 

 of places in the latitude of Janesville, Dubuque and Ann Arbor. 



In the next place it was shown that the average, minimum range 

 of the thermometer is from thirteen to tAventy-four degrees higher 

 than at the other places in the same latitute, and from one to 

 seventeen degrees higher than at other places two or three degrees 

 of latitude further south. 



Finally, it was shown that the extreme minimum reached by the 

 thermometer of Traverse City is from thirteen to twenty-eight 

 degrees higher than at other localities in the same latitude — 

 showng a complete exemption from those extremes of winter 

 weather which prove so destructive to fruit trees. 



The Grand Traverse region is peculiarly protected both by the 

 expanse of Grand Traverse Bay and by the curvature of the lake, 

 which is such that southwest winds — generally the most severe^in 

 this region — have to pass over a considerably greater extent of 

 water surface that the same Avinds in reaching the St. Joseph 

 region near the southern extremity of the lake. 



As the soil along this belt of country, a very short distance 

 back from the shore, is generally of excellent quality, the peculiar 

 influence of the climate develops and perfects crops of delicate 

 fruits which cannot be raised on the opposite shore of the lake, 

 nor even in the central and eastern portion of the State. 



The St. Joseph region has for several years been known as 

 producing peaches in the greatest perfection, and it is now becom- 

 ing known that the same capability is possessed by the entire belt 

 of country under consideration and to as great an extent in the 

 Grand Traverse region as iuar-y other portion of the belt. For 

 settlement no portion of the northwest offers greater inducements 

 than this region, a full description of which is embraced in a late 

 report on the Grand Traverse region by Prof. Winchell. 



Two papers were presented by Prof. E. N. Horsford. The first 

 was 



On the effects of Alum in making Bread. 



The use of alum to improve the appearance of bread made from 

 an inferior flour, is in early date in Belgium, France and England, 

 and its employment for this purpose has been prohibited under 

 severe penalties. 



