April Meeting

Meuibtrs met iu court room on Saturday uftoruoon. Mr. C. II. liiohuiond presidinj. Mr, Covert read an interesting papnr ou "luseots and their Enemiea" iilustratii;g his Biibjecti with specimens of birds iprepnied ty his son, a taxideriuist. Mr. lUldwin- Tbo flat hended borer does grcat iujury to peach truos, as be l::i(iw from exporionce. Trees injured tbe most grow in ligbt soi], whereas claysoiled trees eaoape to a greater extent. Mr. B. spoke quite at length on borens gonerally. Mr. Covert - Agreed with the speaker that flat-headed borers weru tha most troublous that poiuologists had to dual with. Mr. Baldwin- Tho cankor worm has a peculiarity. It does not colleot in masses. From experienoe fire was the best extenninator; oreot a light, thoy would fly to it by the thousand and destroy thomselvea. Mi, Day read a paper on "Stnall Fruits" for which he was votod the thanks of the society. Mr. Scott called up the question of proper packages for fruit, and asked Mr. D. his opinión. Mr.1:D.-Myexperiencegivespreferenoe to Disbrow's of Rochester, N. Y., as the best i'or strawberries, wltich can be proourod for 10 per thousand or a penny each. Mr. Baur moved the followiiig resolution which was adopted : Resolved, Thit the Poruological society of Washtenaw County are opposod to marketing small fruits in bulk. Mr. Baldwin - I would inquire of Mr. D. how piofitable the Cuthbert raspberry is? Mi-. D. - I am unprepared to itemize, but it is the most profitable, paying from $300 to f500 per acre. It can stand rigorous elimates, ia hardy, and will stand up against most any wiuds. It can be shipped most any distanco with safety. It is in the proviuoe of this city to be second only to the Hudson river banks for the production of sinall fruits. What was raised here last season gave us special signin'cance in Detroit. Mr. Baldwin - Mr. D. picked fSO worth of borries in one day last season. Largo fruit had had their most proiitable day in his opinión, and there was more money in small fruits. Ho beiieved people satiated their appotites ou them before the larger fruit ripened. Mr. Baur- It is time to talk to the question, viz : " Best breeds of sheep for Washtenaw Couuty." Mr. Scott - I think Mr. Baldwiirs head unduly turned toward small fruits. Apples, pears, &c, will never lose their place in the estiiuation of the world. Au inquiry being uiado of Mr. D., if he was uot at first discouraged, the tlomen responded by saying ho was, fearing the borry would not turn out as represented. He loved tho business believing he was a. bom horticulturist- Thorough culture was necessary in this as in other business to have success folio w. Mr. Sutton - Had not muoh experience with Uotswold sheep. Shoep soid hero is the improved Spauish, good for fatting purposes. His flock averaged three years 4 3-4 Ibs. wool and sold in thia city for 15 cents ad vanee over his neighbors. Ho sold 30 for $300. Thon bred mixod with puor success. Mr. Eichmond- Farmers of Washtenaw ought not to fail to attend these meetings, particularly when shéep formed tha topic of discussion. To raise sheep profitably, location of inirket and soil should be eonsidcred. MlöSigao wool has düteriorated because iarmers havo taken to Spanish sheep too largely. In thisvicinity Cotswold were tho most profitable. He had raised various breeds. Low lanas were apt to produce foot rot, although coarse wooled will do bettei oa such lands. He urged mixed farining, and espocially the necessity of raising the best of everything. Mr. Baur-Faroiers will be intorested when they have more time. This society will bo very large next winter. Mr. Sutton- It won't auswer to mix Spanish with coarse English. Have full blood of each. Spanish C;in not stand the cold and if exposed, will die in good numbers. Mr. Kichmond- A cross for cortain localities is commondable. He nsed a coarse buck with fine wooled and raisod sheep that sold for doublé any ether.- Sheop need dry land and dry food.- Farmers should consider what will bring the largest amount of wool Mr. Godfrey- Undertoolc to mix Cotswold with Merino and tóledj then went to Canada, purchased a bucfc, and did not suoceed- losing four yoars experiImonting. Then raisod Merinos exclusively and was suooessful. Mr. B.- Moved the President bo autborizüd to correspond with Agnoultural department on the question of sheep raising. Mr. Godfrey exhibited specimens of appleshe wantod named. Messrs. Covert and Scott wore appointed by the ehair a committee to report on them. The Agrioultural portion of the society was adjourned to autumn. Pomologicftl to four weeks from this day. Mr. Covert would continue the meetings so long as threo others put in an ippearance. R. G. Dun & Co.'s circular fortho first quartor of 1879 shows a raarked falling I off in the number and amount of baukruptcies as compared with the sarao period in 1 877 and 1878. In tho first quarter of the latter year tbe figures nearly doubled those of 1877, there boing 3,355 failures vvith liabilitios of $82,088,820. The figures from tho quarter just cl'osed are 2,524 failureu, with liabilities of $43,115,065. Althoughthe docrease ia nearly oO por cent, it is singular that ; the Pacific states show an incroase of ncurly 100 per cent, their portion of the totnl being 207 failures, with liabilitiea of 1,859,047, as compared with Í&3 failures and $2,074,130 in liabilities for the corresponding quartorin 1878. The report on the wholeisvcry dncouraging, and shows that we are again on the npjrade of commoroial prosperity.