Horticultural

The discussions of the Michigan Horl.ieultural Society at Grand Haven covered a wide range of topics, from which we select the following, as reported in the Michigan Farmer: SALT AND MOISTURE. Mr. A. S. Dyckman said he used refuse salt to spread under liis peach trees to retain moisture - said he had used twenty-five barrels around 7,000 trees. D. C. Loveday had also tested salt. Had scattered it over a strip of clover, and always found it moister than any ocner part ot ñis held. Had decided to use 130 barrels the coniiug spring. Had found 110 beneüt on clay land from its use. M. J. Jf. Stearns said he had been studying tor ten years how to prevent injury from drouth, and recommended early and deep cultivation, followed later by shallovv but thorough cultivation as the best reniedy he had yet diseovered. W. H. Hurlbert agreed entirely with Mr. Stearns in regard to cultivation. He had been experinienting with salt for four or öve years. ïhinks it retains the moisture in the soil, but the trees bore later and slower. Had trees now in blossom that had been neglected during the past dry season, the late rains bringing them iuto bloom. Had put on salt to kill the grass and found it had helped the trees. O. Beebe had used salt on clay ground. Had 120 pear trees on such soil and had put salt an inch deep around his trees in a chele two feet i'rom the tree and had found the soil damp six inches out- side the circle. A. C. Giddon said he did not believe in the use of piaster to retain moisture. H. J.Linderman said the success of the peach erop in that section this season had been from tlie plowing of a erop of rye in the spring. Rye was better than oats for purpose. Mr. Le Valley said he thought he had injured his peach trees by sowing rye, but it was because he had not sown enough. PRESERVING VEGETABLES IN WINTER. Mr. J. ïi. Stearns said he kept his carrots, turnips, parsnips, beets, &c, through the winter by packing them in barrels, instead of bins. He filis the barrel to within six inches of the top with the vegetables, and the balance with sphagnum, or common marsh nioss, thss keeping them fresh through the entire winter. He lias perfect success in keeping celery by placing it in boxes, first a layer of roots and then of moss, alternating until the box was full, then standing the box on end roots down. Prof. Beal indorsed this method as a perfect success, relating instances in which he had seen it tested. BEAS AND FRUIT. Secretary Garfield read a paper on "Bees and their Relation to Horticulture," sent in by Mr. Cutting of Lenawee county. The writer claimed that bees would not injure grapes or peaches unles3 the skins of the fruit had been previously puuctured by insects. Prof. Cook said he was satisfied that aees would not destroy fruit, Mr. LanLiin, JNIr. Edgell and Mv. Barnard, were positive they would. Secretary Garfleld read an essay f rom F. B. Johnson, a noted fruit grower in Lansing, and whose exhibition at the Central Michigan Fair ; his fall was oae of the features of Pomologieal Hall, in which he said ii' he were to plant an orcliard of one or two thousand trees near Lansing, he would only use two varieties - Ked Canada and Rhode Island Greeniüg. Prof. Ingersoll, of P irdue University, after experimentinj with lueerne or alfalfa on the college farm, gives it as his opinión that it is a valuable plant for all hilly lands where grass makes a f eeble growth, and is frequentlyburned out by drouth. He sums up its valuable points as follows: lst, its manner and quickness of growth; 2d, capacity to endure drouth; 3d, hardiness in winter; and 4th. that it addb one more to the valuable list of oui forage plants, and tlms enlarges the range of our production. The Indiana Farmer says of a patch of pearl millet: "During all the long drouth it retained it fresh green color although com planted alongside of il dried up entirely, Considering its im mense pro-luctiveness and its ability to withstand dry weather, we regard i as a most desirable acquisition, am one that farmers ought to cultívate a least to the extent of an acre or two for the use of their milch cows wheu pasture grows scarce in the fall. I requires good land and fine cultivatioi to give the best results."