Michigan's Exhibit At Boston

The commissioners appointed by Governor Jerome to represent this state at the approaching meeting of the American pomolgical society at Boston have issued a circular in the name of the state horticultural society, for the reason that this society and its auxiliaries include the mass of the prominent fruit growers of Michigan. The circular states that as the expense of shipping specimens to Boston must be considerable, it is necessary to collect thein at a central point. Lansing has been selected for that point, where they will becarefully selected, repacked, and only the most perfect and creditable specimens will be forwarded. Peaches and plums, and other very perishable fruits it is impracticable to repack, henee each commissioner is expected to pro vide as best he can for the picking, packing, and shipment of such fruits direct from the grower or collector, at the latest practicable moment, and send direct to the commissioners, care of Secretary E. Manning, at Boston, Mass., to reach there on the evening of Sept. 13, or the morning of the 14th. Specimens should be packed in smali, ventilated packages, separately wrapped in soft paper. Every individual snipper should accompany bis package with a complete list of the varieties sent, together with his name and address, for the purpose of enabling those in charge of the matter to provide for the proper notice of the same, by proper committees; and also to secure the proposed credit for the same, in the next volume of the "transactions of the state horticultural society." The state society will loan to the commission the use of its plates and other furniture for the oecassiou, and cards will be provided, with space for the name of the fruit, and also for the name of the individual or society contributing them. Por the purpose of collection, the commissioners have distributed the territory of the lower península as follows: Northeastern Michigan, Prof. W. J. Beal,L?.Tising;southeastern Michigan, Evart II. Scott, Ann Arbor; southwestern Michigan, T. T. Lyon, South HaTOn; northwestern Michigan, J. G. Ramsdell, Traverse City; central Michigan, W. K. Gibson, Jackson, assisted by H. Dale Adams, Galesburg. For the purpose of securing the aid of the state horticultural society and its auxilliaries, the commissioners have determined to make -the collection and exhibit for the state in the name of that society, and it has accepted the trust and issued the following general directionsto collectors and contributors: 1. Collections should include at least flve creditable specimens of each variety of the fruits, nuts, etc, introduced and found to succeed in the state, together with such wild or indig-enous ones as seem likely to add interest to the exhibit, or to aid in giving a just conception of the capacity of the state for the growth or production of fruits. Of the smaller fruits and nuts enough should be sent to ñll a dish and make an attractive display. 2. Fruits maturing prior to Sept. 14, should, when in proper condition for shipment, be carefully packed, with each variety separately labeled, and sent by express to the commissioner in charge of the district, who will pay the expressage and will be provided with facilíteles for its preservation. 3. Later fruits should be packed and forwarded by express to T. T. Lyon, horticultural rooms, capítol, Lansing, to arrive there not later than Friday, September 9. Charges will be paid at Lansing. 4. Collectors are requested to eorrectly name each variety sent, packing it in the case of doubtf ui sorts to send local ñames, habit of tree, season of maturity, etc, together with any facts calculated to aid in identification. The same rule should be observed in case of seedlings; adding also to the history of their origin. 5. Collectors are farther requested to choose specimens of even size, well colored and absolutely free from the marks of insects and other imperfections. Wormy or detective fruits will, in no case, be placed en exhibition. 6. As far as practicable the names of localities, societies and individuals contributing will appear in connection with the fruits exhibited, and it is therefore important that the names of such contributors, together with lists of varieties, be forwarded with the fruit. For all such contributions full credit will be given in the next volume of the transactions of the state horticultural society. The state fruit committee of the American pomological society has also issued a circular, requesting the pomologists of Michigan to forward to its chairman, II. Dale Adams, at Galesburg, on or before Sept. 1, all the information possible, relating to the following subjects: 1. What species of fruit, - apple, pear, peach, plum, cherry, grape, nuts, etc, are grown successfully in your locality? 2. If there are any new varieties of recent origin in your locality, giving promise of excellence, you will please make special note of them. " 3. Give as much inf ormation as may be in your power in regard to the different names by which the same fruit is known in your locality, especially new varieties. 4. AVhat are the chief obstacles to successful fruit culture in your locality, as regards soil, climate, insects, diseases, etc, and what remedies have been most effectually employed ? 5. What treatment of the soil of fruit tree plantations, and what system of prunning, haveyielded in general the best resulta ? 6. What methods are most successfully practiced for storing and keeping fruits '{ 7. What sort of packages have been found most advantageous, especially for shipment to distant markets, and especially toEurope'? 8. Statistics showing the extent and progress of fruit culture in your locality during the past two years, includlng the amount shipped to market outside the state. 9. Facts bearing upon other kindred subjects and especially such as bear upon the fruit capacities of the more northerly and less known section of the