48 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



people. The greatest damage is done to the horticulturist by the smallest 

 insects and plant parasites. We are greatly in the dark, and of ourselves as 

 fruit-growers have not the time or ability to trace out the causes of many 

 disasters that accompany our endeavors. Every year, from some locality in 

 the State, tliere arises a cry for lielp. I am wholly in sympathy with tlie sug- 

 gestions of Mr. Brown's paper. I believe in organizations in the interests of 

 fruit-growers. New things are developing constantly in connection with our 

 work, and were this not the case, new men are continually joining our num- 

 bers, and may be saved the greatest disappointments by first learning the expe- 

 rience of those who have been longest in the field. One of the best things 

 accomplished by societies is the bringing of inquirers and men of experience 

 together. Asking questions is a freedom quite allowable in our country, and 

 freely indulged in wherever we find a horticulturul society, and often men who 

 cannot or will not write a paper have a large fund of information that may 

 be drawn on at will by intelligent and discreet querists. 



President Lyon : Fifteen hundred millions of dollars are said to be wasted 

 annually by insects. Horticulture is not alone interested in the control of 

 these pests. Their ravages reach into every branch of life. Especially is 

 agriculture, in its broadest definition, interested in knowledge of insects and 

 methods of extermination. We ought all to unite in trying to secure not only 

 the man who shall be an entomologist worthy of our State, but also the 

 wherewithal to pay for his services. 



Secretary Garfield : I want to recall attention to the suggestion made by 

 Mr. Brown concerning horticultural literature. Here in Michigan we make 

 the growing of fruit a great specialty. Statistics show an enormous produc- 

 tion and export of horticultural products. Still the fruit-grower must depend 

 on eastern journals for his newspaper published in the interests of horticult- 

 ure. A paper with a good department devoted to Michigan horticulture 

 would be a great help to ns, but when we are almost wholly ignored by the 

 newspapers, except when some enterprising grower places on the editor's table 

 specimens of his first fruits, it is time we gave some thought to this item in 

 the essay just read. 



W. W. Tracy, Detroit: I heartily endorse the statement that there is a 

 dearth of bright horticultural literature in our western papers. The depart- 

 ments conducted in the interest of horticulture are generally filled with dry 

 matter often inappropriate to the season. We need something better and 

 ought to have it. But are we not in blame ourselves very largely? The fruit- 

 grower needs more than anything else the experience and judgment of other 

 fruit-growers. Now if we all lent a hand in this matter and furnished some 

 bits of information from time to time to the press, perhaps we would not find 

 the fault we are now doing. While we are alive to our needs may we not our- 

 selves do something to satisfy them, and perhaps in this way "grow" to a 

 horticultural paper in Michigan. 



Mr. Brown : Papers will not be supported unless somebody supports them. 

 If our societies would furnish the local pre.-s with the results of their meet- 

 ings it would Jiclp a great deal. But it would be a great thing for our west- 

 ern Michigan fruit-growers if they could take one paper tiiat should from 

 week to week contain an epitome of the work of all the horticultural 

 organizations of the State. It would help us to decide upon methods of action 

 as to marketing; and not only this, but give us items of information concern- 

 ing insects and diseases invaluable to us. Every fruit grower could afford to 

 take such a journal: — in truth could not afford to be without it. 



