FIFTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. 43 



cold stoi'agc plant. Special rooms wilii extra piping are l)est suited 

 for the purpose of precoolins- When ))ropoily carried on, precooling 

 has proven to l)e hi<i;hly successful and there is no reason why it should 

 not pi'ove to be a big success in Michigan. 



I am iiifornuxl that sonu^ of the growers of Berrien County have 

 formed a comjiany to erect and i)ut into op(>rati()n a j^recooling and cold 

 storage plant. As pioneei's in this j)roject in Michigan lei me wish you 

 speedy success in your enterprise. 



PLANTING THE RURAL HIGHWAYS. 



J. K. COSGROVE, TRAVERSE CITY. MICH. 



The farmers and townsmen of the counties of Kent and Wayne may 

 well congratulate themselves. I speak in high praise for these counties 

 because they have been first to put into practice the development and 

 beautification of their county roadsides. 



Nothing goes farther to give a city, village, or countryside the air 

 of peace, prosperity, and happiness than an abundance of well kept 

 trees. 



We as the inquiring public are asking these two counties how the 

 work of planting trees along their rural highways was accomplished and 

 we are told that its success may be credited to but one predominating 

 condition and that was the cooperation of the state, county and private 

 individuals. 



As farmers especially we may appreciate what cooperation has ac- 

 complished for us in the past in way of marketing our fruit, storing our 

 grain, and numufacturing our dairy products. The same practice 

 governs whatever success we may attain thru tree planting, along our 

 highways. 



It has been a question in the minds of many conscientious farmers 

 and owners of county land as to whether the planting of trees along 

 the highways by individuals or communities would be tolerated by the 

 state highway commission. I may say that the practice is very much 

 encouraged providing the planter of said ornamental trees will abide 

 by the laws of cooperation. In some localities commvmities have organ- 

 ized tree planting clubs and such trees as the common pear and apple 

 have met with success as roadside trees while in other sections orna- 

 mental trees have been selected. It is of little significance as to which 

 kind are planted so long as the plantings are sanctioned by the High- 

 way ( 'ommission of the State and County. 



The State Highwaj'- Commission has laid down the following laws in 

 regard to Highway plantings (Section 3) "The owner of any real estate 

 bordering the highways may plant approved ornamental or fruit bearing 

 trees along said highway and shall receive an anruial credit of five cents 

 per tree upon his highwa.y repair tax. Trees must be six feet in height 

 at time of planting and not less than twenty feet apart. All said trees 

 and their products shall belong to the property owner under the pro- 

 vision that he maintain said trees in way of trimming and protection." 



In closing I may saj^ that the practice of roadside plantings has been 

 very successful throughout the state of Ohio as well as other states 

 ^nd we are informed that the long rows of stately trees not only raise 



