Pomological

At the monthly meeting of Washtenaw Pomological society, J. C. Schenck. who was to collect dues from fruit shipperi, reported his inability to make these collections. They are all glad to share in cheaper transportaron, but the sharing in the burden with the few active members of the society seems to some of them quite a different question. L. Gruner is ready to receive their two cents per bushei for berries shipped by the Ann Arbor fruit car. The society ordered the bilis for printing posters for the fruit car to be paidat once. John Allmand wasadded to the committee to see all the fruit shippers personally, and J. J. Parshall volunteered to see those on the east side of the city. The undersigned reported that he had sent the petition of the society, for the improvement of roads,to Representad ve J. L. Lowden, who at once attended to it, and answered that Mr. Gibson has introduced a bilí in regard to the making of permanent country roads, as suggeated by the petition. J. Austin Scott, in his address to increase the membership of the society, stated that all who are interested ii horticulture should be active member of the society. The fruit interest was one of such importance that it needed an organized effort to carry on the business. He feit ashamed of those who try to shirk their duties to the society Tiie society loses its reputalion anc character by non-payment of an hones debt contracted to atxotnplibh a timeiy and safe delivery of fruit at Detroit The members shouid he prompt and on time in their attendance. We shouid invite our friends. This society has been quite an educator, not only in fruit, bu in horticu ture, farming and roadmak ing. In fruit growing, as in other in dustries, we cannot expect to succee every year. It is our duty to do our fellowmen somegoodand tocheer them np. Set-ba:ks strengthen character He never made a failure at anything he ever undertook, because he was determined to succeed. When he first began fruit growing, he triinmed high, and, in consequence, nine-tenths of his trees died. This did not discourage him, anc when he had seen his mistake he adopted low bodies and succeeded He oontinually attended to fertilizing and general culture of the trees. He loved the work. He would like to see the money returned to the counties for war-expenses used for the improvement of the roads. Mr. Ganzhorn,inhis interesting paper on the sale of fruit, stated: This is the most important question before fruit men. 1 can well remember when the foremost questions were, Which is the best location, what varieties to plant, how to cultívate and prune? Will not the business be overdone? The timid ones were afraid the business would come to grief when prices of grapes, shippftd from California, dropped to three cents per pound. The Wholesale price of grapes, which used to be ten cents per pound, dropped to IJ cents in the principal markets. I used to ship peck crates of peaches to wholesale houses in Chicago for $2. One of my neighbors sold his peaches right under the trees for $8 per bushe!. Peach men then said, ten per cent is too much for selling fruit, but as the net increase from fruit was so large no attempt was made to reduce the rate of commission. We have now come down to the bedrock of our business, and it has become a question of the survival of the fittest. We can only hope to succeed by trimming away unnecessary expenses. We have made a beginning by breaking away from the express to the shipping by freight. Fruit men must combine. It is wasteful to make so many individual and small shipments to one market. In many cases there is a waste in cartage and freight, both in shipping and in return of empty packages. There is as much freight on three empty crates, or baskets, as on twentyiive. The commission man has to deal and keep accounts with so many small lots, while he would save much clerical service, postage and draft expenses, had he but one party to deal with, from one place, instead of so many. A single fruit farmer in Illinois sells lOOcarloade of fruit for his neighbors. The grape erop of Chautauqua county, between Buffaloand Dunkirk, N. Y., arnounting to from 1,000 to 2,000 carloads, is sold in charge of one man. Agents are sent out to make sales of carload lots at different places, as Chicago, St. Paul and even down to Georgia and Texas. Chicago sells her fruits largely by auction. California has developed great skill in rading, packing, and sale of her frnits, otherwisetheir shipments todistant markets would be impossible. We shipped in 'lie neighborhood of 20,000 bushels of peaches last year at an averaee price of $2 per bushei, the crops amonnting to $20,000. The commission on the same is about $4,000; on berries, perhaps $1,000, making a total of $5,000. The berry erop of 1891 promises to be mucli larger than last year. One hnndred thousand bushels of peaches is a possibility . There is vet a great deal of fruit shipped by express for want of organization. A large savlng eould be made right here. Although we pay large surns of money every year for the sales of out fruit, wn meet with frequent losses for want of better distribution. The commission man takes no risk with us; we have to bear all the loss. Against wasteful gluts we can do much ourselves by preparing for canning, evaporating, manufacture of jellies and fruit syrupe. These canned goods cannot well be put up by individuals. The factory will be the proper place, where a surplus of fruit can be disposed of on a large scale, and sold to advantage under properly organized facilities. In 1889, we averaged but $2 per bushei, for berries. Such seasons wll come again, and, in such cases, the saving of unnecessary expenses may be all that is left for our earnings. Fruit will be raised on a larger scale in the future, and the sooner we adapt ourselves to the inevitable, the better for o?. This paper was discussed with great interest and animation. V. F. Bird addressed the society on the best pumps for the application o insecticides. He exhibited twc pump of the Field Force Co., one a large double-acting pump for orchards, the other a knapsack sprayer made of copper, for the application of the Bordeaux mixture and other poisonsamonggrapes, potatoes and small fruits. This took the eye of His Honor, the mayor. This looks like warfare, he remarked. Those who need the best instruments for the destruction of these insects may inspect these pumps at Mr. Bird's on the Jackson road. He can give an intelligent insight into these formidable weapons, without which our fruit will be destroyed by the enemy. Prof. Cook, of the Aifricultural College, and the Cornell University use these pumpe. The name of this society was changed from pomological to horticultural by a majority of votes. This opens the doors to all our vegetable gardeners, florists and farmers. They will receive ahearty welcome. Different varieties of winter apples and the Champion peach were discussed. All wert 'v. ,favor of the bilí before the legislature that commission men should give bonds. Ann Arbor lost quite a sum' of money in Detroit, East Saginawand Bay City. Topics for April meeting: Fruit prospects, package, how to take care of tree planted, by Mr. Ganzhorn, prospects of fruit the coming seasou, is theie a home market forall thestrawberry plantations about Ann Arbor? What kinds of fruits to plant, by the president. Report of committee on collection.