ANNUAL MEETING. 15 



in its limits and distinctly labeled so that all may read and get correct informa- 

 tion as they proceed, without being dependent on answers to questions. 



Mr. Stearns. — There is much neeed of a change in the usual mode of offering 

 premiums for collections of fruit. The first great object of fairs is to educate 

 the people, and they do this to a greater extent than the majority are aware. 

 No one realizes this more than the nurseryman. If this be true, it is of the 

 utmost importance that the means used should be in the right direction. I 

 have always contended it -was wrong to make our premium list read, best and 

 greatest collection. In my opinion, it should be best collection. I was more 

 than ever convinced of this in our last fall exhibition. I know it is urged by 

 officers of societies, in their anxiety to make that part of the exhibition a suc- 

 cess, that it is necessary to fill the shelves. This is an error, as I know from 

 three years' experience. 



All that saw the show of fruit at our Kalamazoo County Fair, and also that 

 at the State Fair for the two years past pronounced ours much the finest collec- 

 tion, and we filled the hall built to accommodate the State Society, and the 

 premiums were offered for the best collections. Committees were instructed 

 to award on best collections regardless of number of varieties. 



To illustrate that the show will be larger as well as better by this mode of offer- 

 ing premiums, A, B, C, and others, have fine orchards of choice fruits, cared for 

 in all respects, of all the worthy varieties, but perhaps not more than twenty or 

 thirty varieties ; but D has an orchard of one hundred or one hundred and fifty 

 varieties, of no account but to make a wide spread at the fairs, and A, B, C, 

 and others, say it is of no use for us to compete, as D has so many more varie- 

 ties. Thus, it will be seen, many of those able to make the best show are kept 

 from competing, and it is left to a few that are able to make a collection of 

 many varieties to fill our shelves, instead of bringing a great number of com- 

 petitors, and thereby proportional interest in the exhibition. What is the 

 result? People thinking of planting fruit look over the shelves (not acquainted 

 with names and varieties), are attracted by plates of large, or, perhaps, hand- 

 some looking fruit, they look to see the name, take out pencil and note-book 

 and take down names, go to the nursery or give orders to an agent, want such 

 and such varieties, cabashea (New York pippin, so-called), etc., etc. Are they 

 rightly educated? 



I saw apples of many varieties that looked well on the plates at our State 

 Fair at Jackson that I would venture to say, if they were picked from trees 

 that would yield twenty bushels, it was a difficult matter to get the five speci- 

 mens of fair fruit on the whole tree. Is this educating the people in the right 

 direction? I hope these points will be considered by the Board in making the 

 premium list in future. 



This discussion closed the afternoon session. 



Tuesday Evening. 



The first address of the evening was the welcoming speech of Mayor Cutter, 

 as follows : 

 Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : 



I understand the object and aim of the Society, in the meeting of which our 

 city to-day is honored, are, to develop facts and promulgate information in 

 the cultivation of all kinds of fruit; in horticulture, floriculture, and arbori- 

 culture. 



