Wednesday Morning Session.

Wednesday morning it was decided to take up first, out of the prescribed order, the subject of small fruit culture, pending which Messrs. GEO. C. MCCLATCHIE and J. B. HOUK told of the beginnings of fruitgrowing in Mason county. They had better success after the forests were cut off than before; they at first set varieties that were unadapted to the locality, and for a time feared theirs was not a peach-growing region, but latterly they had been more successful and now believe they grow as fine peaches as any on the shore. Seventeen years ago the mercury went to 21° below zero, but the country was then uncleared. Since that time it has not been more than 6° below.

WORK WITH SMALL FRUITS.

Mr. R. MORRILL of Benton Harbor, read a paper upon Cultivation of Small Fruits, which was withheld from publication.

He was asked, Would you grow blackberries without laying them down in winter? In reply to this and a question about strawberries, he said: I grow only Wilson and Early Harvest blackberries and I lay them down. It costs but $3 to $6 to lay them down, making the expense of protection about $10 per acre, and it pays. Among strawberries, Wharfield No. 2 outsold everything upon the Chicago market last season. It is more uniform and regular in size of fruit than any other; is heart-shaped, deep red, with tough skin and solid flesh, which retains its lustre; it is very productive and has succeeded in Illinois as well as in Berrien county; by way of comparison, it is like the large Wilsons of years ago, but with more skin surface and less seeds.

Mr. C. W. GARFIELD commended the Long Bunch Holland currant. It is grown very successfully in Wisconsin.

President LYON had a good opinion of the Wharfield strawberry from his one year's trial of it. He grew it in narrow rows (eight to ten inches in width and the plants not close) using potted plants. This year he will have the rows 2 to 3 feet wide. It has been so grown in Illinois four years, and with success. Wharfield and Wharfield No. 2 are the same so far as fruit goes, No. 1 being a pistillate variety for fertilizing No. 2. Messrs. LYON and MORRILL protested against the practice of introducing fruits by number, because it leads to confusion and nothing is gained by it.

Mr. MORRILL: In laying down blackberry canes I employ two or three men. One goes ahead with a round-pointed and long-handled shovel and digs under the canes six inches or so; the second man pushes them over, and the third throws on earth to hold them down. In case of the Wilson, I cover the canes entirely with earth, taking care not to crack nor sharply bend them, as to do so prevents ripening of the fruit. In the spring, throw them up again with a fork and replace the earth. Then, after rain has cleaned them, I do the trimming, cutting back four to six inches. I do not simply nip them, for in doing so one would often leave a terminal bud that would run up at the expense of the laterals. A knife is better than shears for this work, being of more rapid action.

CHOICE AND TREATMENT OF NURSERY STOCK.

Mr. A. G. GULLEY of Michigan Agricultural College: Were I about to select stock for a large apple orchard, I would find what varieties were suited to the locality and then correspond with reputable nurserymen to learn the cost. The cheapest offer would not necessarily be the best one to accept, nor need the price per tree be the same for each variety. Apple trees should not be more than two or three years old, else they can not be headed low enough. Pear and plum stock should not be more than one year old, for the same reason. "Extra size" and "bearing age" stock are humbugs. Stock which nurserymen offer at a sacrifice, as a rule should not be taken, though this is not always the case, especially with peach stock, in which there is often a change of fashion in varieties. An objection to Maryland or Delaware peach trees is their liability to yellows. The trees are usually large and fine looking, but yellows is prevalent everywhere in that region and the nursery stock is very likely to be infected. No better peach trees can be had than those grown in Michigan. They are stockier and have better roots, but up to date we have not grown enough to supply the home demand. I would choose Ohio trees next. Those sold from Rochester, N. Y., are not grown there and the varieties are not what we want. This does not apply so much to apples. As a rule buy your stock in the fall; yet if you buy in New York, you are not likely to get good roots on fall-dug trees, pear especially, though late fall orders may be good in this respect, because the rush of the season is then over and you may get trees that were not "stripped." Heal them in rather than keep them in a cellar. By the latter process the roots are likely to become dry. Place the roots in a trench, lay the tops down and bury them half way up. Take them out early and stand them up, if not ready to plant; but it is best to plant early.

Mr. GARFIELD: Myself and a neighbor were about to join and buy some nursery stock. But the neighbor wanted to buy of a big house because he could get the stock a little cheaper. He did so, while I bought of a smaller firm I knew, paid a little more, and got far better trees. My neighbor had trouble in setting, for the trees were of bad quality and there were miscounts in the numbers.

Mr. MORRILL: Too many growers are unbusinesslike in buying trees. They too readily take the word of agents and buy of them instead of corresponding with nurserymen or learning at such meetings as this. They let the dealer plan their business, and the dealer buys up cheap surpluses of any sort and labels them according to his orders. Some nurserymen will not keep an agent in one place more than three years. Then they shift agents, and the new man claims his predecessor was discharged because he was tricky. A man who is swindled in buying apple trees is swindled for ten years. So I advise, never buy of an agent nor a dealer. You can easily get into communication with honorable and reliable nurserymen. Never permit substitution.

President LYON indorsed these ideas. He has never bought a tree of an agent and probably never will buy one. Go or write to good nurserymen, and have the variety you want or take nothing. Avoid getting very large trees, simply because they are large. Head them low. Mr. GARFIELD: First-class one- and two-year-old trees can not be had for much less than three-year prices.

Mr. J. B. HOUK of Ludington: I am out $30 on "ironclad" and "extra

size" stock. One year I paid $5 for five peach trees and $1.50 each for apple trees, but no such stock ever grew. Somehow ordinary-price trees always grow.

VALUE OF HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES.

Mr. MORRILL urged the importance to fruitgrowers of organization into societies for discussion and investigation. Send delegates to state and district meetings. Don't try to "go it alone" and be subject to the wiles of every swindler. He spoke of the great value of the reports of this society for practical information, saying they have become famous as equal or superior to any similar works in the United States. No fruitgrower can afford to stay out of the societies, and they should be liberally encouraged by business men.

PEAR CULTURE.

Mr. EVART H. SCOTT of Ann Arbor led in discussion of this subject, saying he would first consider the orchard. High ground is preferable, with a north or west slope, and with heavy soil, or at least heavy subsoil. The trees should never be over two years of age when set, and one-year trees, or two-year roots and one-year stems, are better. Plow the tract as deeply as may be done; dig holes two feet in diameter and 18 inches deep, placing some of the upper soil in the bottom, but have no manure close to the roots. Crop with corn or potatoes for seven or eight years, and then leave the land to the trees, but plow and cultivate occasionally. Plant a dozen sorts for home use-Madeline, Doyenne d'Ete, Sterling, Clapp, Bartlett, Flemish Beauty, Bosc, Seckel, Sheldon, Belle Lucrative, Rostiezer, and Lawrence. The early varieties are the more profitable. For market set Clapp, Bartlett, Howell, Onondaga, Bosc, Anjou, Lawrence, Kieffer. The latter may be grown for profit. I have never gotten it ripe, but it colored up and-and-sold!

Pick pears before they are fully ripe, as soon as the stem separates readily from the branch. Place them in a dark room to ripen, for home use, but pack and ship at once for market. I would not recommend Flemish Beauty for market, because it ripens about with Bartlett and sells for only half so much, although it is of better quality. Give ventilation to the barrels by cutting slits lengthwise in the sides. Pack, as other fruit, of uniform quality throughout the barrel.

I would not set dwarfs, except Angouleme and Louise. Sheldon is one of the best of pears, but until lately it has not been properly known in the market. Clairgeau is a beautiful pear, and sells well in market, but unless thinned the fruit is small and poor.

Mr. LYON: The Kieffer can be recommended only because it is tolerable when cooked with plenty of sugar. If Ann Arbor is too far north for the Kieffer's ripening, certainly Mason county is. Sterling is good as a grower and bearer, and in quality; is very sweet, like Flemish Beauty in flavor, but a good keeper; is likely to prove to be good for market; have never known it to blight; nurserymen dislike to grow the trees because they are crooked.

Mr. GULLEY: I have had difficulty in getting Bosc trees. The best way to obtain them is to set other varieties and top-graft them, as

they will then be straighter. It is proving to be one of the best pears for Michigan.

Mr. GARFIELD: Some one has said the Anjou is good because it comes later than "the other Bartletts."

Mr. MORRILL: In the Chicago market they are known as "Winter Bartletts" and are now selling for 75 cents to $1.00 per dozen.

Inquiry was made concerning the Wilder. Mr. SCOTT had not fruited it and knew of it only by the claims of Mr. GREEN, its introducer. Mr. LYON had seen the fruit and thought it better than most varieties of the season ascribed to it, but knew not what its season would be in Michigan. It is not yet safe to plant it extensively, but well to try a few.

MR. MORRILL: Recollect, as to early pears, they are still earlier south of you. I have seen 2,000 packages per night sent from Benton Harbor in the Bartlett season, and the price went down to fifty cents per bushel. Early pears here may meet the Bartlett season of further south, and in the market Bartlett is king. Anjou is a good pear for market, though not so early a bearer as Bartlett. It keeps well and should be satisfactory in Mason county.

SPRAYING AND JARRING.

Mr. GULLEY said these subjects had been so fully covered and reported at the recent meeting at Hart that there was no necessity for repetition. Spraying apples for scab had been tried, carbonate of copper and ammonia being used successfully, especially upon Spy.

Mr. H. F. ROBINSON of Ludington asked about pear blight, having been troubled by it.

Mr. SCOTT: Cut off six inches (one foot is better) below the blight, dipping tools used in carbolic acid after each cutting, and burn the infected branches.

Mr. MORRILL: In jarring, injury has been done by striking with a mallet. Parker Earle advises the driving of spikes into the trees, upon which to strike with the mallet.

Mr. ROBINSON: A stick with a concave end, padded, with which to suddenly push against the trees, is better than jarring,

Mr. GEO. C. MCCLATCHIE of Ludington preferred spikes or bolts. Mr. LYON: The more sudden the blow, the more surely will the curculio be surprised and drop. Therefore spikes are preferable.

Several decried spraying for curculio, but Mr. W. H. PAYNE of South Haven maintained its effectiveness, as curculio do feed upon the foliage, as has been proved by observation. Decrease the strength of solution each time, and use even before the blooming. It has been proved, also, that curculio are killed by spraying. It should not be abandoned from one season's experiments. It kills the newly hatched larva in the crescent marks as it does the codlin moth in the apple calyx. In thirtysix marks examined, on sprayed fruits, but one live larva was found. Probably an egg had been laid in each case.

Wednesday Afternoon Session.

President LYON announced the following committees:

On Exhibits-Messrs. R. MORRILL, A. G. GULLEY, W. H. PAYNE.

On Resolutions-Messrs. C. W. GARFIELD, C. A. SESSIONS, and ILGENFRITZ.

Mr. SMITH HAWLEY of Summit township, Mason county, read the following paper upon

FRUITGROWING IN MASON COUNTY.

Fruitgrowing in this county may truthfully be called an "infant industry," for, although there are a few quite old apple orchards scattered over the county, here and there, yet the business of general fruit culture is just beginning to be developed. That the business will prove very remunerative is shown by the fine fruit grown, the prices that have ruled, and the success of those who have engaged in it.

In considering the present state and future prospects of this favored locality, for the production of fruit, we must first take into consideration the soil and climate; and secondly, the location as regards markets. Although there are plenty of heavy lands in this county, well adapted to general farming, the soil in what is known as the fruit region ranges from a light sandy loam to a heavy clay loam, with plenty of gravel and limestone mixed through it, affording every variety of soil for the production of every variety of fruit. The face of the country is rolling (hilly in places), giving the most perfect air drainage as well as water drainage; and as to the climate, people living further south will often wonder that a fruit so delicate as the peach can be successfully grown so far north and be a failure the same year much further south. The cause is very largely due to old Lake Michigan, which stores up the summer's heat and holds it for our benefit, so that when, further inland, the mercury slides down to the bottom of the tube and there congeals, and peach buds are killed. Near the shore the heat stored up by the great lake is felt to such an extent that the mercury has never gone down more than 8° below zero, at my place, in 14 years, so that the peach buds are safe. This climate and soil are also specially adapted to the successful culture of small fruits, the success of some of our growers bordering upon the marvelous, and yet we have seen only the beginning. Apples, pears, plums and cherries can be successfully grown throughout almost the entire county; and when it is stated that over fifty thousand fruit trees were planted in this county in the spring of 1889, some idea can be formed of the great interest that is taken in fruit culture, and the coming spring will witness a still larger setting. Nature has placed here soil that is adapted to fruit, and the great lake to assist in raising and protecting it.

There are thousands of acres yet that are the best of fruit lands, that need only enterprise, intelligence and energy to make them yield bountiful harvests of the finest fruit, and hundreds of acres are yet in a state of nature, covered by the primeval forests, and only waiting the hand of man to bring them into subjection.

Already the business of shipping apples, pears, plums, peaches, and cherries and all sorts of small fruits from Ludington has assumed large proportions, and when the fact is taken into consideration that less than ten per cent. of the trees now growing are yet bearing fruit, to say nothing