ANNUAL MEETING. 115 



Most of the delegations from abroad, notably Eaton llapids, Ionia, New 

 York, Ann Arbor, and Benzie, brought fine exhibits of fruits, canned goods, 

 and vegetables. The few exhibits made from Genesee county ranked as high 

 as th.e best, showing that all she needs to place her in the front rank, is 

 enterprise. Among lier exhibitors were Mr. Wesson, Mr. Rosonkrans, Mr. 

 Beecher, Mr. Partridge. Mr. Van Kuren, Mr. E. J. Pierson, Mr. John Morley, 

 Buskirk & Cook Brothers, R. H. Hughes, J. L. Wilcox, and others; Mrs. 

 Damon Stewart made a fine display of oranges; W. Z. Hutchinson, of Rogers- 

 ville, and Mr. West, and Mr. Koepen, of Flint, showed a fine display of 

 honey, and apiarian apparatus. A number of tiie proprietors of jelly factories 

 made exhibits. Hon. LeRoy Parker showed some specimens of wine from 

 Concord grapes. Mr. Ed. Monaghan, of Grand Blanc, sliowed six varieties of 

 potatoes, and John Morley, besides several varieties of apples, made a magnifi- 

 cent show of vegetables. There were about 120 plates of apples, 15 or 20 of 

 pears, and several of grapes. Darwin Smith made a fine display of plants 

 from his new greenhouse on East street, which added vastly to the interest of 

 the meeting. 



The meeting was opened on the evening of December 4th, with prayer by 

 the Rev. 0. R. L. Crozier, of Ann Arbor, after which Mayor Atwood delivered 

 the following address of welcome : 



'& 



Members of the Michigan State Horticultural Society: 



Ladies and Gentlemen : — I see I am down on the programme to welcome 

 the State Horticultural Society to Flint. I wish it had fallen to the lot of 

 some one better fitted for the occasion. 



But, gentlemen, in the name of the citizens of Flint, I extend to you a 

 hearty welcome to this hall, and to our city, and to the generous hospitality of 

 our citizens, and bid you a God speed in your useful work, for the improve- 

 ment of our fruits, our gardens, and our farms. 



I assure you that during your stay with us you will find that our citizens will 

 extend to you that generous hospitality for which they are so justly noted, and 

 hope that your stay with us will be pleasant to you, as I assure you it will be 

 to us. I feel assured that your work and deliberations here will be beneficial 

 to our city, our county, and our State. 



Get)tlemen, once more bidding you a hearty welcome to our city and to our 

 firesides, I will give room to others, who will have something more interest- 

 ing to say to you. 



President Lyon, of the State Horticultural Society, responded substantially 

 as follows: 



" We are always most happy to meet with those who are interested in the 

 things that interest us. In horticulture, people of every avocation can meet 

 upon common territory and enjoy the same fruits. Things have materially 

 changed in our State in half a century. We have more of horticulture now 

 than fifty years ago, to engross our thought, our sympathies, and our interests. 

 Fifty-five years ago I landed in Detroit, a city of two thousand people. The 

 Lower Peninsula was all of our present Michigan that was then known, and 

 most of that was a "howling wilderness." The manufacture of salt, and even, 

 lumber, was unknown in the Saginaw Valley. The Indians held full sway. 

 Now look about you. Your beautiful city is nestled down in the border of the 

 Saginaw Valley. On every side are smiling fields and fruitful orchards. Tho 

 improvement has been rapid and healthy. And now that the face of your 

 country has been prepared for the most progressive agriculture, it is certainly 



