28 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



methods of farming or as commonly termed "intensified farming." Last 

 August the second annual conference of the bankers committees of thirty 

 states met in Minneapolis to discuss the question of agricultural de- 

 velopment and education. This was called to discuss the peculiar needs 

 of tlie farmer with reference to the betterment of his condition by bigger 

 Ijrofits and larger production. "Our soil is our heritage" and we must 

 not only conserve its productiveness but Ave must improve it. Another 

 very important question discussed at this conference was, that educated 

 farmers needed more capital. The fertilizers, improved machinery, 

 blooded stock, all require capital and I think the time is ripe to devise 

 some means to have available "long time" loans at low interest rates 

 for farm property. Fifty j^ears ago the capitalists were quite disturbed 

 about financing the great railroad promotion of that period, it was solv- 

 ed and this country has the record for railroad building during that 

 time. -We are now fast approaching the time when we will not be 

 suflflcient producers of our food products and I believe that this import- 

 ant question of "better farming" will be made a government enterprise 

 of the near future. 



All these questions are pertinent to the importance of "Keeping the 

 Boy on the Farm." If he is ]>hysicially adapted to farm work, if he 

 acquires an agricultural education that will stimulate him for the best 

 of achievement, and this aided by sufficient profits to be an incentive 

 to this work and all backed by the inspiration of high ideals, of thought 

 and action, I think that farm life will be made so attractive that the 

 farm boys will stay on the farm and many of the city boys will want to 

 be farmers, and the present situation will be reversed, viz., from the 

 city to the country. 



REPORT OF THE FORTY-FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE 



MICHIGAN STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, HELD 



AT COLISEUM, GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, 



DECEMBER 7, 8, 9, 1915. 



The meeting was opened on time with President Chas. A. Pratt, 

 Benton Harbor, in the chair. He said : "We have now come to the time 

 of the forty-fifth annual meeting of the State Horticultural Society of 

 Michigan. We are glad to see such a goodly number present at this 

 first session and trust that we will have a most profitable gathering. 



We will open this meeting by prayer from Rev. Beutall." 



PRAYER. 



Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, Tliou who hast given to us every 

 good and perfecet gift, we come to Tliee as tliose who are privileged to 

 enjoy and help to raise the things that Thou doest grow upon the earth. 

 We ask Thee that Thou wouldst come very near to us as we meet to- 

 gether to talk over and consider the problems and various opportunities 



