'I'HK C'WAKIAN HOKIICL'I.JLKIS! 



riii: mi(Iiu;a.\ i-rlit (irowkrs. 



I ihc retiucst of our Directors, I attt-ndcd the meeting of the 

 State Horticultural Society, of Michigan, hcUl in Port Huron, 

 on the iSth and 19th of last month, and herewith append you 

 a few notes of their proceed in jis. Tlu' meeting, though not 

 (juite as large, in point of numbers, as I expected to see 

 (being held outside of their great fruit growing district), was 

 from beginning to end a very enthusiastic one, and their papers and discussions 

 Mere all of a very interesting and practical character. The first paper, b\ 1,. 1>. 

 Rice, of l*ort Huron, on Fruit (irowing on the Western Shore of Lake Huron, 

 brought out the fact that while fruit growing on the western side of the State was 

 the most important industry, that it had been almost entirely neglected in the 

 eastern portion of the State, although there were many sections that were well 

 adajited to it there. Branches of a peach tree were shown in a healthy condition, 

 which was 24 years old, and had passed through several winters when the ther- 

 mometer was 15 to 16 degrees below zero, and one when it went 32' below. In 

 discussing the degrees of cold a peach tree will stand and bear, several instances 

 were given where fair crops had been obtained after a winter of 16° below zero. 

 A paper by T. T. Lyon, Director of the Horticultural Experimental Station, at 

 South Haven, on the testing and introduction of novelties, showed that not more 

 than one in a hundred of new fruits exceeded, or even equalled, the old standard 

 varieties, although some of them, for the first year or two, might appear to be 

 valuable. His advice to fruit growers was : Though every wide-awake man 

 might test a limited number for himself on a small scale, yet for general j)lanting 

 " let novelties alone." It was estimated that there was money enough wasted on 

 worthless fruits to support the ])oor of the country. The value of an experi- 

 ment station, I think, was fully shown here. One paper was upon top grafting 

 tender varieties, such as Baldwin, King, Greenings, etc., upon hardier sorts, 

 Tolman Sweets, Liscom, Northern Spy, etc. ; and it was contended that they 

 could be grown successfully piuch further north by so doing. An illustrated 

 lecture by Prof. Gulley, of the Agricultural College, on Budding and (".raft- 

 ing, was full of instruction to amateur fruit growers present. There were other 

 papers of interest, and reports of the amount of fruit ship[)ed from different 

 points. One townshij) of 5,000 inhabitants sold over $100,000. worth last year, 

 or $200 for every man, woman and chiKl. The possibilities of pickles were 

 shown in the shipping of $40,000 worth to Chicago in a single season. i'he 

 work of making a display of fiuits at the great fair was al.so discusseil. 

 Committees have already been a])pointed and the work marked out, and Ontario 

 will be left behind in this matter, if we do not begin to work soon, 'i'he State 

 has already given a grant of $4,000 for this work, and they cxjiect another 

 appropriati(jn next winter, if necessary. I was most cordially received and 

 rtjyally entertained during my visit, and much regret was expressed that other 

 members of our Society whose names thcv Ii.nl cm their programme were not 

 present. 



.SV. Otf/ian'ms. Out. .\. M. S\iiiii. 



