THE ANNUAL MEETING. 143 



that grow very little themselves, but buy largely to sell again, and are especially 

 careful of their reputation. 



J. S. Woodward, Lockport. — Mr. Hooker will bear me out in the remark 

 that I have many times spoken very strongly upon this topic in our councils of 

 fruit-growers, and have said some harsh things concerning tree dealers, ped- 

 dlers and agents; still, I believe they are not an unmitigated evil. It is 

 through the persistent endeavors of these fellows that we have so many door 

 yards tilled with rare trees in this country, in place of store-houses, pig-pens 

 and a cluster of farm implements and rubbish; it is through their business 

 enterprise that a great many farms have any fruit trees at all. The reason for 

 so much swindling in this business is because there is such a good field for it 

 in the iguorance of the people — willful ignorance; and I don't know but it 

 "serves 'em right." A man who will never give a dollar for an agricultural 

 paper, or any assistance to a horticultural society, and will let an agent take 

 him in to the tune of ten, twenty, fifty or a hundred dollars, with a lot of ref- 

 use nursery stock, ought to be swindled into the use of good, common sense. 



S. L. Fuller, Grand Rapids. — I wish to offer, in closing this discussion, the 

 following resolution : 



Resolved, That we recommend to purchasers the plan of buying nursery stock of 

 nurserymen direct when they can; otherwise of agents who can establish their re- 

 sponsibility beyond a doubt ; and to have no business transaction with tree agents 

 or peddlers who have no authority from a known, responsible firm. 



Adopted. 



SUGGESTION FOR FUTURE MEETINGS. 



Mr. Fuller said he liked the plan of employing every available moment of 

 time at these meetings, and did not like the idea of spending so much time at 

 the noon recess. At a meeting in Grand Rapids some years ago, the guests, 

 instead of going to dinner, were invited to take lunch at the place of holding 

 the meeting. This had very many things in its favor. First, it took less 

 time, and the intermission could be shortened; second, it gave opportunity for 

 social converse for which there was no other provision in the programme ; 

 third, as most of the delegates were provided for by town people, it gave an 

 opportunity for others out in the country to assist in the entertainment, by 

 bringing in the lunch ; and again, it gave the ladies who kindly opened their 

 houses to the delegates, an opportunity to attend the meetings without having 

 to break away, perhaps when they were most interested, to go home and look 

 after the dinner. 



Mr. Fuller was supported by others in this plan, and at the close of the 

 discussion the following resolution was unanimously adopted : 



Resolved, That in accepting any invitation to hold future meetings of this society, 

 the secretary is instructed to seek to make an arrangement by which the noon inter- 

 missions shall be occupied in social converse, over a lunch eaten in or near the ball of 

 session. 



On motion the convention took a reces3 until evening. 



Tuesday Evening Session. 



The usual excellent music opened the evening meeting, following which the 

 president aunounced the committees for the meeting: 



On Fruits for Premium— G. H. LaFleur, Allegan; C. A. Sessions, Oceana county ; Jo- 

 seph Lannin, South Haven. 



