NINTH ANNUAL MEETING. 27 



Professor Gulley — I think this is a feasible suggestion, 

 and think it could be handled and made profitable to our 

 people. 



It was voted that the President be given power to 

 appoint such committee. The following were subsequently 

 named as a committee to arrange a schedule of premiums 

 for the year: N. S. Piatt, Professor A. G. Gulley and Sec- 

 retary H. C. C. Miles. 



The last committee to report was that of New Fruits. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON NEW FRUITS* 



By N. S. Platt, State Pomologist. 



I want first to call attention to a plate of hickory nuts, 

 from Seymour, on the table; it seems to be the finest nut 

 that I ever knew as regards plumpness of meat and ease 

 in coming from the shell, and the best in quality. It has 

 a thin shell, and is of fair size. It is not so large as the 

 Kirtland, which is from Connecticut also, and which Pro- 

 fessor VanDeman calls the best he has found, but in the 

 above traits it seems to excel it. 



I am going to speak to you about the different varieties 

 of fruits as they have been tested by me and their habits 

 noted. 



The Early Prolific is a yellow peach, ripening nearly 

 with the Early Crawford. The tree is a superior one in its 

 growth, equal, I think, in vigor to such varieties as Old 

 Mixon, and is very fruitful. The fruit is of good quality 

 and very fine color; it usually colors before fully ripe, and 

 the proper way to handle it is to market it before it is fully 

 ripe. It has the one weakness of being inclined to rot if 

 allowed to reach its best stage before it is marketed ; but it 

 is no worse than the Early Crawford in this respect and is 

 superior to it in others, and comes a little bit later than 

 the Early Crawford. It will probably outbear the Reeves 

 Favorite three or four to one right along. It is of fair size 

 and a freestone. It is claimed by the people in Michigan 

 that the Prolific and Fitzgerald are identical with the 



