Washtenaw Pomology

The February meeting was of unusual interest. President J. Austin Scott,who had just retumed f rom the inauguration of his sou to the presidency of Rutger's Colloge, one of the oldest colleges of the country, chartered in 1770 by Gov. Wm. Frauklin of New Jersey (since 1864 by an act of Congress the State college for the benefit of agriculture and mechante arts became attached to Rutger's College) was in the chair full of youthful vigor and good will toward every one. After the reading of the minutes of last meeting, a letter by C. F, Parshall was read, containing a statement of expenses incurred by transportation of berries by the Ann Arbor fruit car and a request by Mr. Parshall to be relieved from the chairmanship af tlio committee on transportation. Mr. J. C. Schenk was adden to the committee and intrusted withthe charge to find out the shipments of those who shipped with this car. To make the barden easier for Mr. Bchenck all the shippers with the Ann Arbor fruit car by freight are requested to report the number of bushels shipped to Mr. L. Gruner and pay two ceufs per bushei to oo ver expenses. A letter by Mr. W. F. Bird was read in which he very niuoh regretted his inability to be present, on account of an attack by influenza and asked that liis report on fruit exehange might be deferred to next meeting. The corresponding secretary read a petition to the Legislature of the State, in which this honorable body is requested to enact such laws as will give to the State a uniform system for the iinprovenient of the highways, by the appointment of a State commissioner of roads and bridges who should be an engineer and by building of some roada between the large cities and villages by general taxation or by any measure that honorable body may devise. After a very animated discussion the petition was adopted and signed by the offieers and members of the society aud other eitizens. Mr. G. F. Allmendinger s aduress ou adulteration of fruit producís received a very hearty response and a series of resolutions were adopted asking the represeutatives and senator from this county to use their influenee in the legislatura to créate a food commission as Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and other states had done. The people of this State are paying many thousands of dollars yearly'for adulterated fruit products which are sold for one reason only : to allow some one an 'unreasonable and undeserved profit. The sale of such producís is an outrage upon the producer and eonsumer alike. It hurts every farmer and fruit grower especially and the cost of supporting a commission which will relieve the people of the extortions practiced will be saved many times, besides providing a purer food supply, the valué of which cannot be estimated by dollars and cents. Stuft' which never saw an apple, sold for eider vinegar and bogus jellies, manufaclured by the most noxioua methods, should be branded by their true name. The correspondjng secretary read a paper on the origin of the so-called Sockel pear, proving that this pear was misnamed. The benefactor who gave us thia highest type of the American pear was a Germán by the name of Sichel who raised this" pear tree from seed at Baltimore, Md. aud that this pear should be called Sichel, or, if this name should be translated into English, Sickle would be more proper. There is no such name as Seckel in all Christendom. The writer saw a tree at Eoonomy, Pa., obtained about seyenty years ago from Mr. Sichel, of Baltimore. Mr. Ganzhorn remarked that it was desirable to address Mr. Thos. Mehan, of Philadelphia, who claims that the pear in question origlnated in Pennsylvania by a Mr. Seckel and if Mr. Sichel was rea'lly the originator the American Pomologioal Society should be requested to change the name of this pear. Mr. Herman Markham had a fine evhibit of fifteen varieties of potatoes which were of the finest kinds grown. His interesting and very instructive discourse on the special virtues of the different varieties and on the culture of tliis much desired fruit of the earth received a vote of thanks by the society. Mr. J. J. Parshall gave notice that the name pomological shonld be changed to horticultural at the next meeting. This change, he thinks, would induce many horticulturists to join our society. Topics for next meeting : "To increase the interest in our Society," by President Scott; "Sale of fruit," by J. Ganzhorn; "Best spraying pump," by W. F. Bird. Fifteen minutes will be deyoted to questions by anyone on fruit topics.