up to the middle of February; citing the experience of E. G. Mygatt, of Randall, and others, that the fruit buds in their orchards were, to all appearance, well formed, but winter killed. Thought it was, in the main, due to immaturity of wood, and consequent lack of vitality in fruit buds, caused by trees overbearing in 1876, and the very wet fall.

The committee on programme reported that, owing to the slim attendance then present, it seemed advisable to put off hearing the president's address and other papers until the morning session; which report was approved, and the society adjourned.

COUNCIL CHAMBER, 9 A. M, June 27.

At the opening of the morning session, the president delivered his address, which was briefly responded to by Mr. F. S. Lawrence, of Janesville.

In relation to the fall planting of shrubs and trees, Mr. Lawrence inquired if it would not be advisable for the society to recommend it, so as to induce farmers to plant, who would neglect it altogether if left until the hurrying time of spring.

Mr. Plumb had tried fall planting to some extent, and with very good success; especially the larch, which seemed to do best when set in the fall; he regarded it an important question, and it should be recommended, if it could be done safely.

Mr. Stickney stated that his experience in setting evergreens in the fall had taught him to let them alone; hardy, deciduous trees can be safely set in the fall, but greater care should be taken in setting; each tree should be staked, and a mound of earth made about the trunk to prevent swaying by the winter winds. He had seen evergreens set out in the fall, and do well; if set in the fall, would set very early. Small evergreens can be moved in the summer, after the first growth is over, if carefully handled; the tree is then dormant; the best time to re-set, any tree is when it is nearly dormant, so as to check growth as little as possible; the second growth of evergreens is mainly in the roots, which is to prepare them for the drafts of winter; when this root growth is checked, look out for injury in winter.

President Smith thought the society should encourage tree planting in every way possible; he believed that if our nurserymen would keep a good assortment of forest trees on sale, at low rates, farmers would soon be induced to plant them extensively; in Germany, farmers were required by law to set trees by the roadside, and if they neglected it, the government set them and made it a tax on the land.

The adaptation of location and soil to orchards was brought up, and Mr. Plumb remarked that he had given much attention to this subject, and had concluded that the geological structure

of the soil had more to do with success or failure in fruit raising, than culture. By vote of the society, Mr. Plumb was requested to present his views on this subject in a paper to be read at the annual meeting.

Papers were read by A. J. Philips on "Fruits of Western Wisconsin;" by B. B. Olds on "Summer Apples."

Mr. Stickney stated that in the nursery row the Pewaukee had been injured more than usual; he very much regretted to see this evidence of lack of hardiness in our premium apple; it is naturally a strong grower, and, in rich soils, was inclined to make too rapid and too late growth, Old trees in the orchard had done well and were uninjured. Where growth is slow, the trees are much more hardy.

Mr. Peffer said he had not suffered any loss with the Pewaukee either in nursery or orchard; all but two of the older trees in his orchard had a fair crop of fruit on at the present time.

In Mr. Tuttle's experience, the Pewaukee had been full as hardy as the Utter and Fameuse; the Fameuse is apt to be more tender in the nursery than when it reaches the bearing age. This is the case with many trees, so that the condition in the nursery is of little use as a test; we have some kinds that are all right in the nursery that are worthless in the orchard. He had full faith in the Pewaukee as a hardy tree. The stock of Russian varieties, obtained from cions of the Department of Agriculture, still promised well; they had never failed to leave out to the terminal bud. Two years ago, he had set some of these trees in the poorest locations for trees on his farm, on low, marshy soil, where water stands during a portion of the year; they had come through all right, starting to the very tips, while some of our hardiest varieties, set near by, but on higher and better land, were injured, last winter. But few of these varieties have fruited yet, but he is confi dent we shall find some that will be very valuable.

Mr. Stickney said he had seen Russian apples fruiting as grafts, in Minnesota, seventy miles north of here; the stock seemed very hardy; the fruit was very showy, of waxy complexion, and a bloom resembling that on the Red Astrachan. "Suc

Following this discussion Mr. Stickney read a paper on cession of Small Fruits for Summer;" Mr. B. F. Adams, one on "Cultivation and Yield of Strawberries;" Mr. C. H. Greenman, one on "Strawberry Culture;" and E. W. Daniels, on "Cranberry Culture."

Mr. Stickney said that on two occasions he had raised at the rate of one hundred quarts of strawberries to the square rod; once, on two or three square rods, the other time, on half an acre; they were set in rows between yearling apple trees, and the culture given them was but little, if any, better than common field culture. Had known of two instances in which this had been exceeded with high culture. Cultivators at the east are trying to

get plants of a greater vitality, and an extra strong growth, that will yield crops for three or four years without resetting; this would be a great acquisition; would save much labor and expense; but where we cultivate so as to get heavy crops, it is at the expense of the vital forces of the plant, and we must reset every two years.

Mr. Kellogg related two instances where larger yields had been obtained, one, 160 quarts; the other, 140 quarts to the square rod. He placed his limit at 500 bushels per acre.

Pres. Smith was satisfied that these large yields could be obtained, but the average was far below; he thought less even than 100 bushels per acre. At the east it is generally less than here; but some get very large crops by excessive culture. Peter Henderson, of New Jersey, cultivates bis strawberry bed eighteen inches deep; manures very heavily, raises his plants in pots and transplants into the bed; preserves the hill form, cutting off all runners, and cultivating thoroughly; he gets a yield of nearly three pints to the plant. For general use, we have no plant like the Wilson; we need others to lengthen out the season, but this is yet our main dependence. It is a hardy, strong grower, but if we get heavy crops, it is much better to reset every two years.

Mr. Plumb said that on light, sandy soil, with moderate culture and yield, the Wilson and some other varieties would continue to bear for a number of years; but, ugually, the amount of care required to maintain the vigor of the plants and to keep down the weeds, made it cheaper to reset often.

2 P. M.

The society again met and the following papers were read: "Home and its Horticultural Surroundings," by J. C. Plumb; "Summer Flowers for the Garden," Mrs. D. Huntley; "Woman's Work in Horticulture," Mrs. H. M. Lewis; "Our Girls as Horticulturists," Mrs. I. H. Williams; "The Pansy," Mrs. D. C. Ayres. An interesting discussion followed these papers, but space will not admit of giving even a brief abstract.

A vote of thanks was given to the Janesville Horticultural Society, and the citizens of Janesville for their kind care and attention.

Society adjourned.

In connection with this meeting, an exhibition of strawberries and flowers was held, under the direction of the Janesville Horticultural Society. Unfortunately the exhibition room was not well adapted for the purpose, and being detached from the room where the meetings were held, the interest of the members and of the public at large in both, was lessened.

The articles on exhibition were rather small in numbers, but of very fine quality. (See list of awards.)

Vor M

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.

EXHIBITION AT STATE FAIR.

GEO. J. KELLOGG, SUPERINTENDENT.

Mr. President, and Friends of Horticulture: I need not remind you that the year 1877 gave us very little fruit except strawber. ries, raspberries and grapes. You can visit your cellars and view the empty barrels, boxes and bins, ask your children what kind of apples they like best, and they will probably tell you there are no apples, that they are eating the same kind of fruit our fathers did forty years ago, in the wilderness of Wisconsin, the turnip. Why this general failure of apples, not only in our state but east and south, is a matter of no small talk; yet apples are in the market to-day, very fine Willow Twigs at $3.50 per barrel, from Illinois; Baldwins from York state at $4.50. The hard times makes the prices, and deprives many households of the usual supply of apples. This should not be, for every farmer can better afford a barrel of apples than two visits from the family physician, and farmers can afford a hundred pounds of pork for a barrel of Baldwins.

The unusual crop of 1876 was so heavy a draft on the resources of the trees that but few blossom buds were formed, and many of these lacked vitality. A wet September, with frost the 15th, ice the 27th and 30th, with a hard freeze October 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 11th, forming ice from to inch, followed by a very changeable winter, with the thermometer 25° below zero to 50° above, with the following notes from my diary: December '76, thirteen days below zero; January, '77, twenty days below, followed by a thaw from January 27th to March 4th, freezing nights, and giving 52° variation in 24 hours; and this continued freezing and thawing process for thirty-six consecutive days, with only two nights that it did not freeze; followed by zero March 4th; 9th and 10th, 10° below; a thaw, the 11th 12th and 13th, with zero the 15th, and the 17th, falling to 8° below, with some very hot days in April, and ice May 1st, 2d, 3d and 9th; frost the 23d, 24th and 25th, and ice again May 26th; what wonder that our apple crop was light? The wonder is that we had any fruit at all. Fearing there would be a very small show, your superintend

ent corresponded with very many fruit-growers throughout the state, urging extra effort in saving specimens and making an exhibition. The result was, the hall provided, 26 by 90 feet, was far too small, crowding 1,200 plates of fruit and 1,000 pots of plants, with a large display of cut flowers, into so small quarters that the effect was not pleasing to the exhibitors, if it did astonish the throng who viewed with wondering eyes, and asked "from what state did this come?" The principal exhibitors of apples and pears were from the lake shore counties. G. P. Peffer's collection was large and full, of apples, pears, plums, grapes, and an innumerable host of seedlings. Jas. Ozanne, M. D., Somers, Kenosha county, twenty-six varieties of apples and fourteen varieties pears. Geo. Jeffrey, Smithville, Milwaukee county, was on hand with a fine collection of fifty-six varieties of apples, thirteen of pears, six of crabs and two of plums. Mrs. William Wallace, Sussex, sent for exhibition ten varieties of apples and six of crabs, but there being no entry fee the superintendent did not enter them. They would most likely have taken prizes had they been entered for competition; and the same is the case with a fine collection of twelve varieties of grapes, from J. W. Arndt, Depere, Brown county. This is the county where they can't raise anything but strawberries, grapes, pears, onions, etc. The above collections, with a nice show of pears from Brown county, brought for exhibition by our worthy president, comprise the show from the lake shore counties, unless D. T. Pilgrim's fine show of eight varieties pears, seven of plums and four of crabs may come in the favored belt; it must be so, for no eight varieties of pears grew in 1877 out of the reach of the soothing influence of lake Michigan.

From the interior, the largest show of apples was from B. B. Olds, which took a liberal share of first prizes. This orchard is located in the southeast portion of Rock county, and has been infested with the canker worm. Mr. Lee, a neighbor, informed me that his (Lee's) crop of apples in 1877 was heavier than ever before, that the canker worm had so recently left it that it did not overbear last year, hence his good crop this year. A. G. Tuttle's collection of thirty-five varieties of apples, nine of crabs, four of grapes, two of pears, and a show of cranberries, though not up to his usual standard, shows what Baraboo can do, when Fameuse, Duchess and Alexander trees fairly broke down with their loads of fruit in 1877. Wm. Reid had a large collection of apples, crabs and grapes, making a very fine show. Messrs. Plumb & Son made a fine show of grapes, apples and crabs; prominent among the grapes was Roger's No. 4; they had also a large collection of fruit and deciduous, evergreen and ornamental trees; also a fine collection of twenty varieties of Dahlias. C. H. Greenman, with his thirteen varieties of grapes from his own vineyard, and twenty-one varieties from the vineyard of Victor Lowe came a