Washtenaw Pomology

At the February meeting of tbc Pi.mological Society. Secretury Oanzliorn read ii rommuntuution from Mr. Ourfield, secretary of the State Hortieultural Society, whicli ludientes that the latter society hftl dissolved its connection with the State Agrlcultural Society, wliich exfects tl'o hortieultural society to make au exhibit at the State fair nearly at its own expense, cutting off premiums etc. Can anybody explaln wliy the agricultural society concoiitinties to keep the state (air at Jaekson, unless it favors déficits or desires to keep before the wlckcd citizens the terrors of the State prison y Detroit seems to be the only place where the State fair can bc made a success. A memorial to the congress of U. S. in regard to forestry lpgislation, presentcd by Prof. V. M. Spaldlng, was read and after a discussion on its contenta the oflicers of the society endorsed it and it was slgned by them and all the inember, present. Prof. Mark W. Harrington's papers "Climatal Effects of Forests" was the principal feature of the meeting. The problem of the effects of forests on climate anti wenther has been tliscussed for upwards of 300 years. The Germans are cntirely positive Ui.it In this country the effects of forests are very evident, and llerr von Hebber, in 1877, formulaled the nnmistakable efl'ects into sliteen proposillon?. Frunce, where the subject has also received very much attention, furniohes a similar list with one or two addi tioriül speeifications. By some wrlters the effects of forests are given stil 1 more linporlance. Marsh, In ius "Man nnd Nature," and in liis wake many others, have tried to show that disforesting may chance the climati: of a country coinpletcly; iiltering It from a fertile región eapable of supportiiig n larre populutlon, to a desert waste, as they read history. Palestine is undergoin; tliis cliange and has al most cotnplt'tcd It. Accordin to some of them the change has idready been completed in nortbern África. Dr. Hinrich, the eminent meteorolosist of Iowa, finds unmistakable evidi-nce that In bil State rain-fall Unes and forest outlinee go together. In conrluslon of his very eomprehensive and tlioiouiih paper the Professor says concerninir our own State: " Michigan is in the middle latitudes and she is wi 11 in tbe interior of a great continent. We may expeet that she will prove to be quite as sensitivo to the removal of her forest clotliing as is Gennany; And there is another feature of Michigan which may make us looks forward with auxlety to her disforestiog. Consideiable parta of central Michigan have a sandy soil ; they are the so culled 'pine barrens.' Tliey have the reputation of notbeing vsloable for cultivation ; wliat will they be trhea timber jfrowth bas been removed, whicli now hol.ls the ganda tojjether and protects them frora the direct drying rays of the sun ? There is some occasion for fear that thi-ir valuc may theu become less than zero, that while they aru now noc without use, they may tlien become a menacer." It may bc proper to remark in this counectiou that Prof. V. M. Spalding of the university, has spent a consideralile portion of one slimmer at hls own etpense In studyiug the plalni and (lunes of this State, and stuce that time has been einployed by the chiefof the forestry división on some specinl subjects. A vote of thankü was tendered Prof. Hanington for this vuluable paper and a resolution pas-ed that bil paper be forarded to Seeretary QarHcld to be printed with the papers on forestry, presented at the Grand Hiplds State forestry coiiycntlon. President Bldwinasked Prof. Barrington whether the railroads had any Intluence on thedistributionof humidity. The Professor thought not. S. Mills: "This i matter of forestry must be attended to by the genera] government. When forests were dense arouiid us our erops sufferec more trom frosts than now." The same statement was made by J. J. Parshall Penen trees were killed near forests Also !. Ganzhorn substantiated this fact Ewing Smitli : Peaeb blossoms come out earller near the woods. Peacli plantations therefore are better on the hill tops." E. Buur: "This topic has been dlscussed at Grond Rápida. If the forests were cultivated as they are in Qermany, where in hit boyhood he could ride throngll au evergreen forest as fast as a none could go without any injury from tlie trees, there would be no hindrance to air-passage or air drainage. Feit sorry tliat ut the forestry convention the Michigan State University was not represented. Prest. Willitts and his professors and graduales of the agricultural college furnished most of the valuablè papers. They undeistaod the art of mingling with the people and of getting their synipatiiy. The convention met onder the ausplees of the Michigan forestry commission appolnted by an enactment of the last legislatura. The U. S. government recognlzed the importance of the convention by the presence of the coinmtstloner of forestry, Hon. B. E. Fernow, a practical aud scientilic forester from Germany. He showed his willingncs? to learn from the people and makes it his" bu-iness to get acquainted aud to collect itatlatfot and scientific facts conuernlng forestry in the U. S. Mr. Er win Bmlth, of the department of agricnlture at Washington, who is ttudying diseases of pcach trees at present in Michigan, addressed the society on peach yellows and peaches in general. As uot niany peacli growers were present, Prest. Balduin reqtlested Mr. Smith to continue this topic ut the Marcli meeting. The topic of oreamery was briefly discussed. .Mr. S. Mills: "lam in favor of creamery. It would be better if farmers would keep more cows and raise less heat, hut more of it to the acre by enriching and resting thetr soil. Thesociety was of the opinión that the farmers should take Ihis matter in tiand and a meeting bc pulled early by the president of the apricultural society, Mr. Fred. B. Braun. The following committee were ippointed: On statistics, J. D. Baldwln, 15. E. NU'hols, J. Qanzborn, E. Baur, J. J. Parshall, .'. Alhn.iinl. On fruit 6Xjhanjje, I!. lï. NichoU, Han. Htscock, J. II. Clough, C. C. Clark. J. 1). Baldwln spoke of the necessity of a fruit exchange is tVuit growers have in other parts of Htati-, n better dletrlbution of fruit. Last season frequently a whole sarloftd trom Ann Arbor was sbipped to 311e commission house. The conscqueiice Bras decline of pnces, which fruit grow3rs eannot afl'urd. This matter should be utended to early. There is to be n meeting of the aboVe comnitttees next Saturlay afternoqa at the usual place iu the sourt house. The exblblt Of Irnit as hy E. Bntir, l' D'Aremberg and Winter Nelta pean nul df evaporated Bartlett pears. Mr. l'oms vxhibited his Bweet floweis. 'J'lie Grand Rivet Wood L'ackage Co. jf Eastmanville, Mlcli., had an exhibit if berry, grape, peach and otlicr baskets. l'hcir bajBKete wre the best and strong;st ever exhlbited liere. Thcir prieel are ov. So mucli work was crowded into this neeting that Ilie. wjiter is obliged to ask )ardo for omissions.