28 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



their central position, good soil, favorable climate, rail and water communi- 

 cation, will enable them to supply, in good part, the wants of a large part 

 of the Mississippi valley. We have in Michigan, as elsewhere, an immense 

 amount of worthless dregs called apples. It is safe to say one half of our 

 crop has no market value, and are worth nothing for home use. If farmers 

 would weed out of their orchards all the refiise and grow none but reason- 

 ably good fruit, the market would improve, and so would their profits. One 

 thing has been sadly overlooked in this department of horticulture, and 

 that is the increase of home consioiiption. Horses, cows, sheep and hogs 

 are extremely fond of apples; why, then, not let them share with us this 

 beneficent gift of mother earth? As between the sweet and tart, I think 

 the lower animals generally prefer the sweet; and here I want to make a 

 note, viz., that sweet apples should be extensively grown for home use 

 among our stock. It is well known that they have fattening properties for 

 swine nearly equal to corn. It is cheaper and easier to grow 100 bushels 

 of sweet apples than 25 of corn. Who will try this experiment? 



*'In the meantime let us not forget that the horse, the cow, and the sheep 

 have tastes and preferences as well as the lord of creation. 



"The matter of cold storage will sooner or later be adopted on general 

 principles for equalizing the supply and demand of horticultural products 

 on the market. 



W. A. Smith, Benton Harbor, Mich.'' 



"SteVensville, Mich., \ 

 March 23, 1889. \ 



"E. C. Reid, Secretary Michigan State Horticultural Society: 



'^ Dear Sir — I hope some plan may be devised by your committee, 

 which may inure to the financial benefit of the State Hoticiiltural society. 

 In view of the life-long devotion of some of the officials of the society, and 

 the great benefits conferred upon the important fruitgrowing interests of 

 the state, the legislature should recognize the disinterested labor of the 

 members and officials of the society by giving a small anniiity to aid the 

 compilation and distribution of the reports. But, as individuals devoted 

 to horticulture seldom become legislators, and so much money is required 

 for state charities and the higher education, nothing can be expected from 

 this source at present. 



" The results of horticultural experiments at Lansing, when of sufiicient 

 mportance, should be embodied in the state reports, and a small portion 

 of the experimental fund received from the government should be solicited 

 and tendered to one or more skillful horticulturists to conduct experiments 

 in those parts of the state which are proved more congenial to our valu- 

 able fruits than the vicinity of Lansing. 



' Nothing is of more importance to the fruit interests of the state, than 

 a permanent annual exposition of the fruits of Michigan ; but I fear that the 

 finances of your society will not warrant an independant exposition at this 

 time. I would advise making propositions to the permanent industrial or 

 agricultural fair organizations, for joint exhibits, upon such terms as 

 may be of mutual benefit. Failing to make satisfactory arrangements with 

 with any of these, I would advise an independent exposition in the city of 

 Grand Rapids, at the best time for the exhibition of fruits. I would not 

 make such exhibit competitive, and would discourage the exhibit of fruits 

 which have proved of no practical value, by limiting the varieties of 

 different fruits to a specified number. I would solicit exhibits from 



