262 ;STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ports, where the fruit must be shipped by rail, growers should combine 

 and ship through a general agent, whose business it should be, in advance 

 of the season, to make arrangements for supplying the various markets 

 where car loads can be disposed of, and thus save time, double shipments, 

 and often a glut in the market. But to do this some kind of an organiza- 

 tion is essential. California has her fruit exchange and her goods are 

 sold at auction upon their merits. So has southern Illinois, the Maryland 

 and Delaware peach -growers, and I think the York state grape-growers. 

 Whether our circumstances and surroundings will ever enable us to 

 progress far enough to imitate their example in this respect, is for the 

 future to decide. When we have a general fruit crop in this country it 

 becomes an important and leading feature of this industry to find paying 

 markets. 



T. T. Lyon, president of the State Horticultural society, was invited to 

 the platform and made a few remarks in which he said: I have some 

 connection with the division of pomology at Washington and I wish to 

 make a few statements about the object they now have in view, and ask 

 the concurrence of this society with the division. They think they can 

 assist the state and local societies by interchange of ideas and publications 

 and bulletins of different kinds. The entomological department prints a 

 monthly paper for gratuitous distribution and the same is true as to micol- 

 ogy. They publish a quarterly, and these fungi publications are of great 

 interest to all fruitgrowers, and the published reports of the several divis- 

 ions can be distributed through the society. On the other hand, it is 

 proposed that these societies shall appoint committees to make reply to 

 all questions of the department. Also, they wish to secure specimens 

 of new fruits, to distribute new varieties to experts to test in various parts 

 of the country, and by this means the value of new varieties can be 

 obtained quickly. I propose to visit the remoter northwestern states and 

 meet with their societies and gather new ideas to help formulate a plan for 

 future action. I recently saw Col. Brackett at Chicago, where he is 

 engaged in making colored casts of fruit for the department, and so faith- 

 fully has he performed this work, and copied form and color, that it is 

 almost impossible to tell the genuine from the false. He also wishes 

 perfect specimens of new or uncommon varieties sent him, for which 

 he will pay transportation. I understand California has applied for ten 

 acres of space in which to set out orange groves and other fruit, and 

 it struck me that Michigan fuitgrowers might do something in this line 

 — might take up small trees and place them in tubs, and by care and cul- 

 tivation have them in fruiting condition to place on the grounds at the 

 Columbian exposition to illustrate the fruits of Michigan; and it is also 

 desirable that we go to the legislature as a united body of fruitgrowers 

 and ask for an appropriation for a horticultural display in 1890, and I 

 think we can get it. 



A. S.Dyckman asked that Mr. Lyon state what he thought this society 

 should do, when it was suggested that a committee had this matter in charge 

 and partial report was made, in which it was recommended that this society 

 act cordially with any and all societies to make a creditable exhibit of 

 fruits, and also join in asking for suitable space and an appropriation 

 from the legislature to make a display of Michigan horticulture at the 

 Columbian exposition in 1893. 



