WEST MICHIGAN FRUITGROWERS' SOCIETY. 349 



full ci'op of peaches iind plums. Branches and twij^'s cut from trees and berry bushes 



near South Haven show a full crop of these fruits. 

 All of which is most respectfully submitted. 



J. W. HUMPHREY, i 



M. T. SMITH, -Committee. 



A. HAMILTON, \ 



Another of tlie excellent picnic dinners being ready, prepared l)y tlie 

 ladies, the society, very wisely, adjourned. 



ANNUAL MEETING. 



The annual meeting of this society was held at the village of Allegan, 

 commencing Tuesday evening, 17th, closing at noon, December 19. At 

 seven o'clock p. m.. President Lannin called the meeting to order and at 

 once introduced H. H. Hart, president of the village, who gave the 

 welcoming address. He said: 



It is perhaps unnecessary for me to say to you liow gladly we welcome the officers 

 and members of this society to a meeting and brief sojourn here in our village. Such 

 a welcome as you deserve would best be shown in the hearty greeting, the warm, 

 earnest shake of the hand, and such acts of hospitality as should be extended by the 

 people of our village to the representatives and supporters of one of the most important 

 industries of western Michigan. 



You meet here tonight to advance an interest dear to your hearts, and one that calls 

 for the support of every one interested in the material prosperity of our country. We 

 fully appreciate, here in Allegan, your efforts to advance the fruitgrowing interests .of 

 this vicinity. No calling, no interest, no employment of man, requires so much study, 

 observation, and care as that of pomology, and nothing in which man can engage for a 

 livelihood tends more to develop the best that is in man than the planting and cultivat- 

 ing of fruit. It makes a man grow in the way lie ought to grow; and the enjoyment of 

 eating a perfect apjjle, or a nice cluster of grapes, or a luscious peach, is about as near 

 to heaven as we poor mortals can ever expect to" get in this world of sordidness and 

 sin. Physically, mentally, and morally, the calling fostered by this society is among- 

 the best. 



A man can be a Christian with little effort, in the business of fruitgrowing. He is 

 brought in daily communication Avith nature and is led involuntarily to look through 

 nature up to nature's God. It is a healthful business. It has superior facilities for 

 the proper growth and development of man over many other kinds of employment. 



Nov." the business of banking, loaning money, is likely to dwarf a man, shrivel his 

 soul, and make him close, grasping, and mean. The lawyer, unless he be a broad- 

 gauge man, and constantly holds out against the bent of his business, and has his 

 heart largely tilled with Christian good-will and the precei^ts of Christ, will tend more 

 and more to degenerate from man in the image of his Maker, and he will become in 

 time the sharp, shrewd man of affairs, ready to turn the misfortunes of men and cir- 

 cumstances to his own advantage, at the expense of those less keen or skilled in the 

 crooks and turns of the law. 



I do not mean to say that there are not good men who are bankers and lawyers, nor 

 that there are not good men in every calling. What I claim is, that the natural ten- 

 dency of some kinds of employment is to iiiake men less what they should be, and I 

 have a firm conviction that there is more in the occupation of fruit culture to develop 

 and foster the good side of man's nature, and increase his liberal views, and to enlarge 

 him every way - physicalh', mentally, and morally — than almost any other calling chosen 

 by men. 



* * * * * ^ * ;;: 



What I want to suggest to you is this: You, here in western Michigan, have a 

 "corner," so to speak, on fruitgrowing. No part of our country can beat us here on 

 the peach, apple, pear, and such kinds of fruit. . Other localities may raise larger speci- 

 mens, but when you come to consider the keeping qualities and flavor, none can beat 



