106 Ame7^ica7i Horticultural Society. 



Fourtli Day — Saturday. 



Evening Session. 



At 8 p. M. the- Society assembled in the parlors of President 

 Earle as per adjournment. 



On calling the meeting to order President Earle said: "Ladie.s 

 and gentlemen, I find it hard to put an end to such social conver- 

 sation, but we will give you something good in its place. I will 

 now introduce Mr. Lyon, of Michigan, who will treat the subject 

 Association in Horticulture." 



ASSOCIATION IN HORTICULTURE. 



BY T. T. LYON, OF MICHIGAN. 



The advantages of association, in horticulture, as in nearly if not quite 

 every other pursuit, especially in modern times, are so important and ob- 

 vious in very many respects, that extended notice seems almost if not alto- 

 gether needless. 



We may therefore be excused if we invite more especial attention to some 

 of the more remote or less appreciated of these advantages. 



When, in the autumn of 184S, one of the earliest of American Horticul- 

 tural Conventions, representing an extended region, convened at the city of 

 BufTalo, the members were greatly surprised that its committee, charged 

 with the duty of framing a list of fruits to be recommended for general cul- 

 tivation, were unable to agree upon even half a dozen varieties of apples for 

 this purpose. 



Subsequent more extended collation of experience has still more strongly 

 emphasized this difficulty, compelling the abandonment of the effort in this 

 direction and the substitution of State lists, with even the additional need of 

 the division of States into districts, with either distinct or modified lists for 

 each district. 



But the benefits from association in this direction are often exceedingly 

 slow of realization, both from the far too common neglect to become in- 

 formed, on the part of very many persons, and from the long time required 

 to change unsuitable varieties when once planted. Indeed, if we may be 

 permitted to base our conclusion uj^on observations within a comparatively 

 narrow field, we must conclude that, between a lack of the requisite knowl- 

 edge and the failure to properly ajiply what is actuallj' known, fruit growers, 

 as a class, annually receive little more than half the income due to their in- 

 vestments, if judiciously made, and wisely and efficiently followed up. 



To illustrate: We have not unfrequently, in Michigan as well as in other 



