A motion was made and carried, that L. S. FOSTER be elected a committee to prepare an account of the New York State Cider Makers' association and report at our next meeting. Following is a list of members:

SECRETARY AND TREASURER'S REPORT.

Michigan Manufacturers of Fruit Goods, in account with PORTER A. WRIGHT.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

WEST MICHIGAN FRUITGROWERS' SOCIETY.

1890.

RECORD OF THE JUNE MEETING,

Held in Shelby, June 24 and 25.

At the meeting of the West Michigan Fruitgrowers' society, at Shelby, Oceana county, the 24th and 25th of June, reports were made by orchardists from nearly all the counties of the lake shore, as to the condition of the fruit crop, showing it to be far below the average, except as to all the small fruits, these all yielding or promising abundantly.

The two sessions of the first day were very well attended, nearly all the lake shore counties being represented. A quantity of enormous strawberries was on exhibition, C. F. HALE and L. B. MITCHELL of Shelby showing Sharpless and J. W. HUMPHREY of South Haven had Sharpless and Jessie. It is hard to imagine more beautiful berries than the latter either as to form or color.

W. B. ANDRUSS of Allegan added to his wide repute as a grower of fine apples by an exhibit of Spy, Stark, Jonathan, Golden Russett, Baldwin, Rubicon, Wagener, Ben Davis, King, Fallawater, Ostend Greening, Red Canada, American Beauty, Cooper's Market, and Smith's Cider. All these were in a surprisingly good state of preservation.

Following the reports as to the fruit prospects, was a discussion of

66 INSECT ENEMIES AND REMEDIES."

WALTER PHILLIPS: Buckwheat sown in June and plowed under when in blossom is fatal to all larvæ, that of the cut-worm included. I advise the plowing in of such a crop before setting any fruit trees or vines, to rid the ground of the cut-worm, which is so damaging to all young stock. I have tried carbolic acid spray for curculio, but without success. No plumgrower depends upon spray of any sort, but solely upon jarring. Spraying is effectual as we all know, for the codlin moth, but one or two ounces of London purple to fifty gallons of water are enough.

Mr. MEISENHEIMER of Ludington had recently seen apple trees drying, the wood of this and the last year's growth drying up, having grown only an inch this season, Talman seeming to be the worst of all. The wood turns black. No one had seen the same or could suggest a remedy.

C. A. HAWLEY was sure that buckwheat is effectual against the codlin moth. He did not know at just what stage of growth he had plowed it under, but keeps it about and thinks its mere growth in the orchard sufficient.

WALTER PHILLIPS: Its potency is due to gases generated by decomposition of the bloom.

Mr. CHAPMAN of Bangor said there are several cut-worms which prey upon vegetation, and asked which one was meant; and was told, the grayish worm which attacks vegetables, not the black one which eats grass.

C. A. HAWLEY told how, some years ago, he and J. L. HOPKINS of South Haven set 4,000 peach trees near Shelby, but saved only 1,000. They tied cotton-batting about them, but it hardened after a rain and the worms crawled over it. Mr. HOPKINS said he was told at the time that there were no cut-worms in Shelby, yet they destroyed 150,000 trees for him in one place and 30,000 in another. "I don't know if there have been any since -I have not been here since." Mr. ADAMS said they had not troubled seriously since that year-1884; and no little merriment was made over the presumption that Mr. HOPKINS and cut-worms travel in company.

N. W. LEWIS: A neighbor has successfully combatted cut-worms by strewing clover poisoned with Paris green.

Mr. LANNIN, saying cut-worms are partial to clover, asked Mr. HAWLEY what was on the land, the year before, where the peach trees were killed; and was told that clover had been there two years, but the worms were no worse in that field than elsewhere, and were not so bad in the lower ground where there was clover also.

A. HAMILTON: Clean culture is not a remedy; for when cut-worms can find nothing else they will destroy even trees three or four years old. Mr. HOPKINS had known them to attack trees eight or nine years old.

Mr. PETTINGER: These cut-worms may be found in the woods, but not in new land because the burning kills them. There were divers opinions expressed as to clay and sand lands being equally subject to cut-worms' ravages, enough for all strenuous needs, at least, being certified as inhabiting both.

WALTER PHILLIPS recommended spraying grapes with Paris green or London purple, for the rose chafer, saying there is no danger, as the poison will be washed off by the rain before the fruit ripens.

Mr. LANNIN: A quantity sufficient to kill rose chafers will destroy the grapes.

Mr. PHILLIPS: Yet I sprayed, killed the rose chafers, and got a crop.

QUESTIONS IN VARIETY.

Turning from this to the question-box, its contents were disposed of in this order:

1. Shall we cultivate as thoroughly and as late as usual in peach orchards that are not in bearing this season?

Mr. MERRITT: I should say, that depends. If trees are as thrifty as usual, yes; but cultivation is not as necessary when there is no crop. To this Mr. BEEBE agreed. Mr. HAMILTON: Much depends upon the age of the trees. I would cultivate young trees as thoroughly but not as late.

2. Why was that plum matter left without any discussion, I want to know?

Mr. LA FLEUR: Because we ran off into discussion of something else until the time was up.

3. Which is better for peaches, heavy clay soil or light sandy soil?

O. BEEBE: About half way is best. Mr. MEISENHEIMER: Of the two, clay. Mr. HOUK: I would rather have sandy soil, but medium is best. Mr. ROBINSON: A sandy loam. Mr. BROOKS: These do not answer. The question means what it says-the extreme either way. Mr. LINDERMAN and Mr. BEEBE preferred the sand. Mr. MEISENHEIMER: It is useless to set Crawfords on very light sand. Mr. HOUK: And to set any kind of peach on heavy clay. Mr. HAMILTON: I would take the clay. "Sandy" is bad enough, but when you add "light" I want nothing to do with it. 4. When is the best time to spray apples?

H. H. PRATT: From the time the blossoms fall, on to the middle of June. Once spraying saved seven tenths of a crop for me. Six ounces of London purple to one hundred gallons of water-three ounces to a kerosene barrel-is the proportion I use. It burns worse than a long drouth.

5. Should every fruitgrower here become a member of this society? No reply was made.

6. Is there any remedy for rust on raspberries?

Mr. LA FLEUR: Just one-dig and burn.

7. Has anyone present had experience with the Russian apricot? Is it desirable?

C. H. DARROW, Geneva, N. Y., (representing HAMMOND & WILLARD, nurserymen): There is a large demand for it, but I have not had sufficient experience with the same to recommend it. Mr. HAWLEY: Mine die out on low land but thrive well enough on elevations. Mr. LA FLEUR: Several hundreds have been set in my vicinity. Those grafted on peach stock have not done well, though three years set. They blossomed this year very early, which may be a disadvantage. I think another year will tell.

8. What is the best way to sell fruit?

There was the usual talk, in response, of honest packing and sales at the orchard.

9. What caused the apple, pear, and peach to drop, this season?

Several residents of Oceana county believed this to be due to a hot, blighting wind which they said blew from the southeast, a few hours in the forenoon of June 5; yet one insisted it came from the northeast. Mr. LANNIN disbelieved in all this, and argued that it was due to imperfect fertilization, this resulting from weakness of the trees from vicissitudes of the winter and spring. In this view O. BEEBE coincided, explaining the process of fertilization of blossoms and saying that three or four days of cold rain had on occasion ruined his grape crop by preventing pollination. Prof. A. L. REDDING of a Findlay, Ohio, college, with much energy repelled this idea, claiming there could be no development without fertilization, and it must have been the wind. Messrs. LAFLEUR and BEEBE insisted that there could be, and often is, development of the outer parts of fruits,

growth presently ceasing, however, when growth of the germ fails to follow through imperfect fertilization. But Oceana and Mason county growers would have it that 'twas the wind and nothing else, for the young fruits were well developed and healthy up to that moment.

10. What causes the peach leaf to curl? Should the tree which has curl-leaf be cut back? Does spraying a tree soon after it blossoms prevent curl-leaf? What varieties of peach are most liable to curl-leaf? Is there any preventive to curl-leaf? Is anybody quite sure that Paris green or London purple will kill the rose bug? What varieties of peach are most liable to curl-leaf, blight, or falling off of the leaves?

Replies to all these were, that cold winds or rains will cause curl-leaf on even the healthiest trees. Mr. PHILLIPS thought the condition of the sap had much to do with it. It is not necessary to cut back such trees, and spraying does not help them. Some thought there was, others thought there was not, any difference in varieties in this respect. The disease is quite prevalent this year, and upon all soils.

The village people were numerous at the Wednesday evening session, although the night was insufferably warm, conducing quite properly to a brief session.

A quartet rendered an anthem; Hon. D. C. OAKES, president of the village, made an address of welcome, in the usual style, to which President LANNIN and Messrs. N. W. LEWIS and E. C. REID responded.

HOW TO BUY NURSERY STOCK.

ALEXANDER HAMILTON of Ganges read the following paper:

"Where, when and how to prepare nursery stock" are questions easy to ask and not very hard to answer. If you know and can procure just what you want, it matters little, I think where it is obtained. As a rule, however, if you can not grow it yourself, I believe your purchases from home nurserymen or known dealers will prove the most satisfactory in the long run. The nursery stock furnished by the unknown, though gentlemanlyappearing and fascinating tree peddler, who has such nice pictures of what he calls his Russian apples, double-budded French pears, and ironclad Siberian peaches, all frost and insect proof, has proved the least satisfactory in western Allegan county, where, in the earlier days of fruitgrowing, large quantities of this bogus stock were sold at prices no one would think of paying for good common nursery stock. Fall and spring are the only times when nursery stock can be procured. Our people, who have had the experience of a quarter of a century, buy nearly all their stock and get it home and heeled in in the fall. As to how nursery stock may be procured, I know of but two ways: buy it or grow it, and a little experience will satisfy you which is the better way to do.

A. C. MERRITT: I favor the home-grown tree whenever obtainable. I have the best success with trees of my own growing, lifted from the nursery row to their place in the orchard. Next to this I have done the best with stock grown near by, although I have bought much abroad.

M. H. HITCHCOCK of Ludington has bought in Michigan and New York, but prefers trees grown at home-somewhere on this lake shore; and had succeeded well with some of his own budding.

N. W. LEWIS: I am in accord with Mr. Hamilton, for he has stated facts. Buy at home; for there you can select your trees in the row, see