THE SUMMER MEETING, 



HELD IN PENTWATER. JUNE 20 AND 21, 1SS2. MINUTES OF DISCUS- 

 SIONS AND TEXT OF LEADING ADDRESSES. 



The Oceana County Horticultural Society invited the State Society to hold 

 its summer meeting in Pcntwater, claiming that mucli good would result from 

 a gathering of leading horticulturists in this comparatively new fruit region. 

 In accepting the invitation and planning the programme no account was taken 

 of the arrangement of trains, and later it was ascertained that our usual cus- 

 tom of opening with an evening session must be dispensed with, for but one 

 train each day reached Pcntwater, and that one late at night. 



A goodly delegation from abroad entered Pcntwater Monday evening, June 

 19th, and was met by the Committee on Eeception and taken to the pleasant 

 homes of the hospitable citizens. Mr. H. A. Cross, of this committee, was 

 indefatigable in his exertions in behalf of visitors during their stay, antici- 

 pating the wants of delegates and providing admirably for their entertainment. 



On the morning of the 20th carriages were provided and all were given a 

 ride in various directions from town. The lake shore, Mears, and Hart were 

 visited, and by two o'clock all had returned from a most enjoyable trip, ready 

 for the opening session of the convention. 



At three o'clock the meeting was called to order by President Lyon, who 

 introduced Mr. C. A. Sessions, President of the County Society. Mr. Ses- 

 sions gave a brief and appropriate address of welcome. He said the fruit 

 growers of Oceana welcomed this gathering of the State Society as children 

 welcome a parent. We are students in horticulture, just now enjoying the 

 primer lessons; we are desirous of making rai)id progress toward liigher 

 attainments. We are young in pomology and need your assistance. We shall 

 take tiie liberty of asking you a great many questions, and will listen atten- 

 tively to your replies. We shall be glad to tell you of our county, its 

 progress and promises. We shall take pleasure in sliowing you our begin- 

 nings, asking you not to criticise too harshly, for we have made our improve- 

 ments with our own hands amid difliculties ; but we most cordially invite you 

 to make suggestions for our good, and guarantee the earnest support of our 

 people in forwarding the good work of tlie Slate Horticultural Society. 



Mr. Lyon responded pleasantly, calling attention to tlie fact that the State 

 Society, while it was doing the work of a missionary, was also gathering infor- 

 mation and strength by means of whicli to prosecute well its own work ; and 

 never a meeting goes by out of wliich there docs not come something good for 

 even the pioneers in our organization. 



