Meeting Of Our Fruit Growers

The February meeting was of unusual interest. President J. Austin Scott, who has just returned from the inauguration of his son to the presidency of Rutger's College, one f the oldest colleges of'the country, hartered in 1770 by Gov. Wm. Franklin of New Jersey was in the hair full of youthful vigor and good will toward every one. After the reading of the minutes f last meeting, a letter by C. F. arshall was read, containing a statement of expenses incurred by transortation of berries by the Ann Aror fruit car and a request by Mr. arshall to be relieved from the hairmanship of the committee on ransportation. J. C. Schenk was added to the ommittee and intrusted with finding out the shipments of those who shipped with this car. To make the burden easier for Mr. Schenk 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 cents per bushei to cover expenses. A letter by Mr. W. F. Bird was read in which he very much regretted his inability to be present, on account of an attack of influenza and asked that his report on fruit exchange might be deferred to next meeting. The corresponding secretary read a petition to the Legislature of the State, requesting it to enact such laws as will give to the State a uniform system for the improvement of the highways, by the appointment of a State commissioner of roads and bridges who should be an engineer and by building of some roads 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 officers and members of the society and other citizens. Mr. G. F. Allrñendinger's address on adulteration of fruit products received a very hearty response and a series of resolutions were adopted asking the representatives and senator from this county to use their influence in the legislature 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 urreasonable and undeserved profit. The sale of such products is an outrage upon the producer and consumer 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 value of which cannot be estimated by dollars and cents. Stuff which never saw an [Conoluded on third page.] Meeting of Our Fruit Growers. [Oontinued from flrst paye.] apple, sold for eider vinegar and bogus jellies, manufactured by the most noxious methods, should be branded by their true name. The corresponding secretary read a paper on ths origin of the so-called Sickel pear, proving that this pear was misnamed. The benefactor who gave us this highest type of the American pear was a Germán by the name of Sichel who raised this pear tree from seed at Baltimore, Md., and that' this pear should be called Sickel, 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 Economy. Pa., obtained about seventy years ago from Mr. Sickel, of Baltimore. Mr. Ganzhorn remarked that it was desirable to address Mr. Thos. Mehan, of Philadelphia, who claims that the pear in question originated in Pennsylvania by a Mr. Seckel, and if Mr. Sickel was really the originator the American Pomological Society should be requested to change the name of this pear. Mr. Herman Markham had a fine exhibit 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 this much desired fruit of the earth received a vote of thanks by the society. Mr. J. J. Parshall gave notice of an amendment changing the name pomological to horticultural, which amendment will come up 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 devoted to questions by anyone on fruit topics. Corresponding Secretary.