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BY-LAWS.

officers of the society, in consequence of any failure to elect at the annual meeting, as provided in section IV of the constitution, all persons entitled as members to vote at such annual meeting shall be considered as retaining such membership for such purpose until such election and until such officers so elected shall have been inducted into office.

XI.-RULES FOR DISCUSSIONS, ETC.

1st. The deliberations and discussions of the society shall be conducted. in accordance with ordinary parliamentary usages.

XII. AUXILIARY SOCIETIES.

1st. The society shall in all reasonable and proper ways encourage the formation of local horticultural or promological societies auxiliary to this society in all such counties or other municipalities of this State as shall afford a reasonable prospect that they will be able, effectively, to maintain the same.

2d. It shall be the policy of this society in supervising the organization of such local auxiliaries to secure an identity of constitutional provisions throughout, and in so doing to insure harmony among them; but at the same time it will not discourage the including by them of special or local objects in cases in which such shall be found desirable, so long as the introduction of the requisite provisions therefor into the constitution and by-laws of the auxiliary society shall not be deemed likely to interfere with the harmonious workings of the whole.

3d. Any person may become a full member of an auxiliary society, for one year, by paying into its treasury the sum of one dollar; and a compliance with the provisions of clause fifth of these by-laws shall constitute him also a member of this society, for the same term.

4th. The wife, and the resident, single or unmarried daughters of any full member, may also become members of such auxiliary society upon the payment of fifty cents each: Provided, That in such case such entire family shall become entitled to a single copy, only, of the current volume of the transactions of this society.

5th. On receipt of the names of such members, with the required fees, the secretary shall immediately transmit their names and postoffice addresses, together with half the membership fee of each, to the secretary of this society, who shall record the same and pay the money into the treasury for the benefit of the general fund.

6th. It shall be the duty of the secretary, on receipt of such remittance, with list of members, to supply such auxiliary society with a certificate of membership in this society for one year, together with a copy of the current volume of transactions for each full member so remitted for.

7th. The proceedings of such auxiliary society shall, at the close of the year, be forwarded, in succinct form, to the secretary of this society, to be by him incorporated into the annual volume of transactions, accompanied by a list of its members for the year.

8th. The auxiliary societies shall, as far as practicable, be made the medium for the distribution of the annual volumes of the transactions of the society; the nuclei for its meetings, and the means of creating interest therein, as well as the means of collecting such facts or other information

or material as shall, from time to time, become needful or desirable in the conducting of its various operations.

XIII. AMENDMENTS, ADDITIONS, SUSPENSIONS.

1st. Amendments or additions to these by-laws may be made by a majority vote of the executive board, at any meeting; but if objections shall be made the same shall "lie upon the table" till the next regular meeting of the board..

2d. These by-laws, or any one or more of them, may be suspended for the time, by order of a majority of all the members of the society present and voting.

3d. A proposition, in the general meeting of the society, for an amendment or addition to these by-laws shall be referred to the executive board for consideration and decision; but the society may submit therewith its advice or request.

4th. All amendments of the constitution and by-laws of auxiliary societies shall, before they shall take effect, be submitted to the executive board of this society, by whom their approval or rejection shall be considered upon the principle provided in section XII, clause 2, and the determination of said executive board shall be final and binding upon the auxiliary society.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE WINTER MEETING,

HELD IN LUDINGTON, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25 AND 26.

This meeting was held at invitation of the Mason County Horticultural society, and was designed to afford primary instruction, upon many points, to the large number of farmers of Mason county who had determined to engage in fruitgrowing.

The meeting was called to order by Mr. GEO. C. MCCLATCHIE, president of the Mason county society, who introduced President LYON of the state society.

President C. G. WING, of the Ludington Business Men's association, made a brief address of welcome. He said this was the first meeting in Ludington of this society, or of any state society. Ludington has outgrown her first stage of development. It was not wholly satisfactory, for the prizes of commerce went to the few. Now the town is entering upon a second period, in which the rewards will be to the many. Mr. WING eloquently depicted the dawning of this better era, described the intense interest felt in fruitgrowing as an important feature of that coming better time, and closed by inviting the society to a banquet at the Elliott house the following evening,

President LYON said the time was when the chief business was to get rid of the forests, but now we begin to feel the need of replacing them and making money in an entirely different manner. The growing of fruit upon this lake shore began in Berrien county, and that was then thought to be the only fruitgrowing region upon the coast. But soon the industry spread to Van Buren county, then to Allegan, and now they have caught the fever clear to the straits of Mackinaw and even in the upper peninsula. When he came to Michigan in "the twenties," he had been led to suppose no fruit at all could be grown in the State. They used to grow peaches all over southern Michigan, however, though now they are found in but few localities; and the plum, also once common there, is now seldom seen. You have both the peach and the plum here, though I learned to-night that the latter is threatened by both rot and black knot. Fortunately for you, Lake Michigan is not likely to dry up right away; yet Mr. MORRILL will tell you he could do better if there were more forest in his vicinity. So it will eventually be here. More crops can be produced in a given region when it is half forest than when it is all cleared.

Owing to some misunderstanding as to dates, the local attendance was not so large as it was believed it would be tomorrow, and it was decided to postpone consideration of the programme and consider such questions as might be asked by those present. A good supply was soon handed in.

How shall I trim young peach trees?

Mr. SESSIONS: I wish for a good, thrifty tree, with good roots, the top being not so much concern. Low heads to fruit trees of all kinds are desirable for many reasons. Cut so that the young tree will stand from 23 to 3 feet above the ground; trim off all branches close to the axillary buds. Allow the formation of no crotches and let the first branches be about two feet from the ground. Eight or ten branches may be left for the head of the tree. Trim the trees the next spring; though sometimes it is well to pinch back rank growth in summer. Remove one third of the first season's growth. Some do this work as early as March, but it is better to wait until severe weather is past. Cut back the longer branches furtherest, so as to make a well-balanced head. This sort of trimming must be kept up to the end, to keep a compact, low head, yet opened enough to admit the sunlight and air.

Mr. LYON agreed to this in the main, but would use only three or four side branches and a central one to build a top upon.

What kinds of peach are best adapted to Mason county?

Mr. MCCLATCHIE: The early sorts are all about alike and none are very good. Waterloo is here preferred as the hardiest; next, Rivers, a not very good shipper; then Hale's. I am at a loss to know what to set for the next in order of ripening. Crane's is recommended. Early Crawford is good, of course, except that it bears freakishly, only when there is an abundance of other sorts. Barnard, Jacques, Snow's Orange, Chili, are all good, but the latter will bear more per acre than any other sort. Wagar is well liked, being better and earlier than Chili. It never fails to ripen. Smock ripens occasionally in favorable situations. Chili should not be set on light soil nor on heavy clay.

Mr. SESSIONS: I would add Stump and Oldmixon, and to a limited extent Mountain Rose, though not a good shipper. We object to Wagar, in Oceana county, on account of its size, it being smaller than Chili. I have made more money from Hale's than any other. A few Alexander or Waterloo are well to have to fill out the season. They bring a fair price. I have a peach called Early Canada which I think as well of as any. Early Crawford and Barnard come at the season of gluts, when prices are low, and so I would plant but few of them.

Mr. MORRILL: If I wished to give my crop a bad start in the market I would send such peaches as Amsden and Alexander and such grapes as Champion. They will ruin you if you put your name upon the packages. Mr. LYON: Some do not care to plant wholly for the market, desiring fruit for home use as well. Those who do will take none of these. Another class of peaches, better in quality though smaller or less hardy, are the Rivers, Louise, George IV, Coolidge's Favorite, Susquehanna (when you can get it), and others.

Mr. MCCLATCHIE: I would add Wagar to this for quality.

Mr. J. FITCH of Ludington: Wagar is of excellent quality and especially so when canned.

Mr. LYON: Wagar is reckoned a market peach and valuable because of reproducing itself from its pits.

When is the best time to trim trees, and how?

Mr. LYON: There are different practices with different fruits; but cut no branches unless necessary, after growth has begun. Yet summer pruning conduces to fruitfulness. Otherwise do the work before the sap

moves. Never prune in the fall if you can do it in winter or earliest spring. Cutting limbs at all is an injury to the tree. Trees pruned in winter will not start so well as when the work is done in very early spring. It is dangerous to prune the cherry after it has come into bearing, and it will never do to cut large limbs. The best way is to have a model for your trees and pinch back the young shoots to suit it. The same is true as to the plum. The pear and apple bear pruning almost equally well.

To this Mr. SCOTT agreed, but said care must be used in pruning the pear, or blight will be carried.

Mr. J. B. HOUK of Ludington: Would cut back young peach trees severely when setting and again the next spring.

Mr. MORRILL warned against the formation of too low heads, as the borers will get into crotches that are near the ground; and allowance must be made for getting under the trees with sheets in jarring for curculio. Cut back to three feet in hight when setting and trim "to a whipstalk," pruning off undesirable limbs by rubbing off the shoots with the hands. Then form the head a little heavier on the side toward the prevailing winds in order the better to balance the top.

Mr. SESSIONS: Care must be exercised here to not head too low because deep snows and crust will break down the limbs. So head at 33 to 4 feet in sags of the ground but lower on the summits.

Mr. LYON advocated low heading because it affords shelter from the sun and wind to the trunks. Borers never attack the shaded parts of trees. What kinds of peach do best on high, sandy land, well air-drained? Mr MORRILL: The Hale must have such a location, as must also any sort disposed to rot; in general the white-fleshed peaches.

Mr. LYON: This is true, yet in the great mass of varieties there is very little difference. Chili will do as well on such a soil for a time, but I doubt if it is as long-lived there as on heavier lands. The finest color and quality in fruits are obtained on light soil, but greater firmness is obtained on heavier lands.

Mr. PAYNE of South Haven: Put the earlier sorts there, because they will ripen and get out of the way of drouths and be less likely to rot.

Mr. MORRILL: There would be less complaint of Hill's Chili were it properly thinned.

It is a prevailing idea that peaches do not do as well upon the immediate lake shore as two or three miles back from the water. If so, why?

Mr. LYON: It is true that a little back from the lake the fruit is a little earlier; but it is also more liable to injury by frosts in the spring. Trees do as well close by the water except as they may be influenced by elevation. Other things being equal, they do as well next the lake, except that they are a little more subject to leaf-curl. But the land is usually a little lower next the lake than it is a few miles back.

A variety of opinions was expressed, but it was generally conceded that locations close to the lake are as good as those further back unless they had some special disadvantage.

What varieties of the pear are suited to sandy soils ?

Mr. MORRILL: Bartlett seems to do well.

Mr. LYON: Very few sorts do better on sandy soil and it is doubtful if any do best there.

Adjournment was made until 8:30 o'clock, A. M..

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