WEST AliCHIGAX I-RUITGROW'KRS' SOCIETY. 



The summer meeting of the AVest 31ichigaii Fniitgrowers' society was 

 held at the village of South Haven commencing on Wednesday evening, 

 June "). at the opera house, President Phillips in the chair. Hon. A. s! 

 Dyckman welcomed the visitors from abroad in a short speech of well 

 chosen words, delivered in his usual pleasant and effective manner, which 

 make all feel that they are indeed welcome. 



President Phillips replied in thanks for the friendly manner in which 

 the members had been received by the citizens of South Haven and for 

 the generous welcome extended. 



The remainder of the evening was occupied with reports of fruit 

 l)rospects, by delegates from other parts of the state. 



The proceedings of Thursday began with the announcement of commit- 

 tees, President Phillips designating them as follows: 



Besohrfioris—B.. Morrill, F. A. Freeman, John P. Wade. 



Fruifs (1 11(1 Floirrrs — J. W. Humphrey, Alexander Hamilton, M. T. 

 Smith. 



Upon " How fruit growing in the western states may affect the price of 

 Michigan fruit?" T. E. Goodrich, of Cobden. 111., furnished the following 

 paper: 



Michigan's competitoes. 



"The price of fruit, like that of wheat, is governed entirely by supply and demand. 

 A large crop of either brings low prices. We. of soutliern Illinois, have had many 

 costly demonstrations of this. When the districts south and north of us place their 

 fruit upon the Chicago markets at the same time that we do, their prices drop below 

 cost. These two regions are the upper and nether millstones and when we are caught 

 between them, our ^jrices are ground very tine. This is the general rule. Has it 

 exceptions'' Perhaps it has. It is possible. Kalamazoo celery is one. Celery from 

 that regi(m seems to have taken a deep hold on the market and evidently fears no rival. 

 But celery perhaps is a specialty tliat is not affected by latitude, earliness, or lateness. 

 If the western states are growing the same fruits that Michigan is and sending to the 

 same market at the same time, the prices of Mit-higan fruit will be seriously affected. 

 But if Michigan can work on special lines, if she can grow fruits that the western 

 states cannot grow, or from her position can reach markets to the east and northeast of 

 her, inaccessible to the south, then her success will be assured. It seems to be a con- 

 ceded fact that Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Dakota will never be able 

 to grow their own jjeaches and must import from somewhere. Will lake-sheltered 

 Michigan be the place? But the neighbors south of these states named as consumers 

 are the states of Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, and southern Illinois. They are 

 in the held, and will, by their many lines of railroads, be ever ready to assist in supply- 

 ing these states. 



"Michigan has one great advantage in at least one branch of fruitgrowing, viz: 

 peaches, by the almost entire immunity from killing frosts of the winters in part of the 

 state. There being no peach-producing region north of here, unlike other states, she 

 has the best chance in the market- the last word in the argument: and lastly from her 

 midway position and nearness to the northwest and nt)rtheast. to the cities of the 



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