REPORT OF THE FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL MEETING OF THE 



MICHIGAN STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, HELD 



AT TRAVERSE CITY, DECEMBER 24, 1913. 



The forty-third annual meeting of the Michigan State Horticultural 

 Society, which was held at Traverse City, December 2, 3, 4, was a de- 

 cided success from every standpoint. 



The value of the program was apparent from the very beginning, for 

 one of the first talks given was one of the most valuable given before 

 the society in years. The place of meeting was in itself interesting and 

 was a good illustration of the newer religion, the practical and applied 

 Christianity. The building was that of the Central Methodist Church, 

 in which were rest rooms, a gymnasium, shower baths and other things 

 of interest to its younger members. The attendance at all sessions was 

 very good but would have been better if it had not been so difficult for 

 those in the southern part of the state to get there. The interest mani- 

 fested however, was of the very best and there were spirited discussions 

 on all subjects. 



No one subject predominated in interest, which is unusual at such 

 meetings. Among the most prominent given attention were the sub- 

 jects of spraying, thoroughness in spraying, pruning, marketing and 

 advertising. The good interest shown all subjects is probably due to 

 the fact that each speaker had his subject well in hand and had a mes- 

 sage of value to present. 



THIRTY YEARS OF FRUIT GROWING ON THE PENINSULA. 



E. O. LADD, OLD MISSION. 



The history of fruit growing on the Peninsula dates back much 

 farther than thirty years. Indeed, it was shown conclusively forty years 

 ago at a joint meeting of this society with the Grand Traverse Union 

 Agricultural Society at the annual fair, that this region was destined 

 to become a great fruit producing section. The first fiiiit trees on the 

 Peninsula were apple trees grown from seeds planted by the Indians. I 

 remember very well when a small boy before we had any other fruit, 

 how good those apples tasted. The early white settlers of this region 

 planted fruit trees mainly to furnish fruit for home use and as an ex- 

 periment to see what fruits, if any, could be successfully grown so 

 far north. The ''Fruit Belt" of Michigan was then supposed to be a 



