Horticultural Society Meeting

The Washtenaw County Horticultural Society held its summer meeting at the court liouse on June 23. The reports of the fruit crops were the most gloomy in the history of the society. The strawberry was damaged by the hail last May- the blossom sterns being cut off, so that the vield was only about 20 per cent. of an average. Som e raspberry plantations west of the city were also rained by the hail. Several fruit men ppttheir loss at from $60) to $1,000. Vineyards west of the city had their' fruit nearly completely cut off- about 80 per cent. of the erop. North of the river and in the eastern part !' the city the hail did not do rnuch damage. The peach erop will he yery Light about; 30 per cent. of au average erop. The Crawfords, although having blossoined Eairly well, have set very little fruit. The more hardier varieties are bearing a medium erop. Some ities of pears are yielcüng tairiy vna, but there will not be a full erop. The apple,;which started out so nattering for a bountiful erop, has boen dwindling down- now-there is little left as a erop. The trees have blossoined well and the „■„„ti,cr flnriiii? the blooming was able tor proper polêngation and the fruit had set well. The cause of the apple iailing seoms to be owing to a fungous which destroys both the folliage and fruit. The le;ives on trees so affected u-e coming off, and the apples lelt ure argely scabby and vvill therefore have ittle market valué. It nöw appears, unless the fungous can be headed off, that the apple in America is dooraed. The apple has been the pride of the country, but the foe that has set in towards its destruction may prove as formidable as the philoxera against the grape in Europa. The experimental stations must be looked to to carry on a line of experiments for combatting the disease. The Agricultnral Department at Washington has done good work in tliia direction for the past few years on the failure of the pear. The apple now requires its atteution. Individuals cannot well grapple with such a knotty questiou or piece oL work. The loss of the apple me.ans millions of dollars to the country and the subject cannot be treat.edligh.tly. A new peach disease has come up and was recognized last year by Mr. John Schenk and tlie vvriter, ana ui uns meeting was mentioned and reported upon by Mr. B. G. Buell from Elm fruit farm. The leaves roll up, have a yellow appearance and show red spots. What the outcome of this disease will prove to be the future will teil. The best course, at present, to pursue, is to take out such affected trees and burn them up. lhe peachnaen liad better not run too much risk in leaving diseased trees stand in the orchard. The Cuthbert raspberry developed a disease known as the " curl leaf," and has spread to such an extent as to threaten to destroy this variety, and with it whole plantationa in the near future. Had the plante been taken out when the disease first made its appearance, some flve or six years ago, the trouble uiigtat have been verted. Sec'y.