ANNUAL MEETING, 



HELD AT COLDWATER, DECEMBER G. 1876. 



The annual meeting of the Society convened at Coldwater, holding the first 

 session on Tuesday afternoon, of December 6th. The attendance was not large, 

 but the members present represented all parts of the State, and several gentle- 

 men from abroad favored the Society -with their presence. The arranging and 

 labeling of fruit occupied a portion of the afternoon, so tbat the meeting was 

 not called to order until three o'clock. 



President T. T. Lyon called to order, and as Secretary J. P. Thompson was 

 absent on account of severe illness, Chas. W. Garfield was chosen to occupy his 

 place pro tern. 



The chair announced tbe committees for the session as follows : 



Committee on Order of Exercises — Prof. A. J. Cook, E. Bidleman, and E. 

 Bradfield. 



Vieioing Committee on Apples — George Elwanger, M. B. Bateham, and Prof. 

 TV. J. Beal. 



Viewing Committee on Flowers — Wm. C. Barry, Mrs. S. S. Scovill, and Mrs. 

 A. J. Cook. 



Miscellaneous Committee — C. A. Ilgenfritz, H. G. Reynolds, and E. J. 

 Shirtz. 



Committee on Nomenclature — H. Dale Adams, C. N". Merriman, and Mr. 

 Hanford. 



The first named committee in a few moments reported an order of business 

 for the afternoon ; the first exercise of which was an address from Charles W. 

 Garfield, of the State Agricultural College, upon 



METHODS OF EXHIBITING FRUITS AND FLOWERS. 



The object of our society enterprise primarily, is education in matters of hor- 

 ticulture. The cpiarterly sessions of its association, the annual exposition, and 

 the publication of the report, are all methods inaugurated to further the object 

 for which the Society was formed. Sometimes there is a temptation to look at 

 matters of lesser import as main objects ; for instance, in the case of the regu- 

 lar meetings, a large attendance, pleasing hospitality, and plenty to occupy the 

 time during the session, are all placed oftentimes in the front so as to hide the 

 great mark at which the Society aims. 



The annual report of the Secretary, as representative of what the Society is 

 accomplishing, is oftsn looked upon as a work of 500 pages containing bcauti- 

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