PROCEEDINGS OF THE WINTER MEETING, 



HELD IN LUDINGTON, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25 AND 26. 



This meeting was held at invitation of the Mason County Horticultural 

 society, and was designed to afford primary instruction, upon many points, 

 to the large number of farmers of Mason county who had determined to 

 engage in fruitgrowing. 



The meeting was called to order by Mr. Geo. C. McClatohie, president 

 of the Mason county society, who introduced President Lyon of the state 

 society. 



President C G. Wing, of the Ludington Business Men's association, 

 made a brief address of welcome. He said this was the first meeting in 

 Ludington of this society, or of any state society. Ludington has out- 

 grown her first stage of development. It was not wholly satisfactory, for 

 the prizes of commerce went to the few. Now the town is entering upon 

 a second period, in which the rewards will be to the many, Mr. Wing 

 eloquently depicted the dawning of this better era, described the intense 

 interest felt in fruitgrowing as an important feature of that coming better 

 time, and closed by inviting the society to a banquet at the Elliott house 

 the following evening. 



President Lyon said the time was when the chief business was to get 

 rid of the forests, but now we begin to feel the need of rejplacing them and 

 making money in an entirely different manner. The growing of fruit 

 upon this lake shore began in Berrien county, and that was then thought 

 to be the only fruitgrowing region upon the coast. But soon the industry 

 spread to Van Buren county, then to Allegan, and now they have caught 

 the fever clear to the straits of Mackinaw and even in the upper peninsula. 

 When he came to Michigan in " the twenties," he had been led to suppose 

 no fruit at all could be grown in the State. They used to grow peaches 

 all over southern Michigan, however, though now they are found in but 

 few localities; and the plum, also once common there, is now seldom seen. 

 You have both the peach and the plum here, though I learned to-night 

 that the latter is threatened by both rot and black knot. Fortunately for 

 you, Lake Michigan is not likely to dry up right away; yet Mr. Morrill 

 will tell you he could do better if there were more forest in his vicinity. 

 So it will eventually be here. More crops can be produced in a given 

 region when it is half forest than when it is all cleared. 



Owing to some misunderstanding as to dates, the local attendance was 

 not so large as it was believed it would be tomorrow, and it was decided 

 to postpone consideration of the j)rogramme and consider such questions 

 as might be asked by those present. A good suiiply was soon handed in. 



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