34 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



our Society unci the State Agricultural Society, which could not be if we en- 

 croached upon their territory as was proposed. 



The South Haven Penological Society simply reported their discussions upon 

 the topic and the following action of their Society: 



The following resolution was offered by Mr. A. G. Gulley : 



Resolved, That it is the sense of this Society that Article I. of the Constitution of 

 the State Pomologieal Society should not be amended or altered. 



It passed unanimously, with the repeated remarks, "Let well enough alone," 

 "Long live the State Pomologieal Society," etc., etc. 



On the other hand, letters were read from Edward Bradticld of Ada, and 

 Prof J. C. Holmes of Detroit, favoring the change. 



Mr. Bradticld said when the matter was first broached he was opposed to 

 covering so large a field, but now felt satisfied that the true work of the Society 

 should take in floriculture and gardening. 



Prof. Holmes considered the various departments of horticulture were so 

 allied to each other that they would naturally come under the same society 

 work, and he believed the only generous way for our organization was to admit 

 all of horticulture of whatever specific name. 



Speeches were made by Messrs. Lyon, Rowe, Beal, Reynolds, and others. 



The vote when taken was decided to be in favor of retaining the old article 

 of the Constitution and the old name by a majority vote of seven. Thus a 

 question was finally settled which had been agitated for years. 



Some of the members present were in favor of confining the work of the 

 Society to Pomology, while the majority were strongly opposed to any such con- 

 struction of the society work, but favored the adoption of a liberal attitude 

 toward Floriculture. 



The report of the committee on nominations was next received, as follows : 



Your committee, after canvassing the interests of the various localities of the 

 State, and the best good of the Society, respectfully recommend the following 

 names for officers : 



President — T. T. Lyon, South Haven. 



Secretary — Charles W. Garfield, Lansing. 



Treasurer — H. Dale Adams, Kalamazoo. 



Members of the Executive Board — N. Chilson, Battle Creek; Eli Bidleman. 

 Coldwater. 



J. A. Robinson", Chairman. 



The report was accepted and the result of a ballot for the officers was in 

 accordance with the nominations. 



A vice president was selected for each of the fruit counties. 



The question of 



ORCHARD CULTIVATION, 



compared with mulching as a means of stimulating growth and fruit, was 

 taken up and discussed pro and con. 



Mr. Barry, of Rochester, New York, was called upon to reply to this ques- 

 tion, lie, however, refrained from expressing any opinion of his own as there 

 was a great diversity of views among successful orchard men — some favoring 

 plowing, others only mulching. 



Another gentleman reported that he knew of a case where a grower plowed 

 his orchard very deep and in two years after there was not a tree left in the 

 orchard. 



