26 STATE HORTICULTURAL. SOCIETY. 



may obtain some of it; but if not, we must take up one of the bills for an 

 appropriation to the society, and urge its passage. 



The whole subject was referred to the executive board, to be reported 

 upon at this meeting, and adjournment was made till afternoon. 



IT WAS HAED TO ABANDON HOPE. 



Upon reassembling, Mr. Monroe presented the following resolution 

 from the executive board, and on motion of Mr. Kellogg it was adopted: 



Resolved, That, in view of the fact that this society has taken no active part in pre- 

 paring an exhibit for the World's Columbian exposition, it refrain from taking any 

 action until such time as the present bill, proposing an additional appropriation, shall 

 pass or fail. If it pass, granting a fair share to horticulture, then, as individuals, to 

 continue to do all we can in assisting the committee appointed by the state commission 

 in making said exhibit as planned by said commission. If said appropriation fail, 

 thereby depriving the horticulturists of suflBcient means to make a creditable display, 

 then it is the sense of this meeting that a bill be passed granting an appropriation to 

 make an exhibit of horticultural products at said exposition by this society. 



Wednesday Afternoon Session. 



Two papers upon peach culture had been promised for the meeting, but, 

 for some unexplained reason, only one was forthcoming, Mr. J. F. Taylor 

 failing to either attend or report. The following paper was read by the 

 secretary, having been written by Mr. J. N. Stearns of Kalamazoo: 



VARIETIES OF PEACH TO PLANT FOR PROFIT. 



I am aware this is a topic upon which no two will agree. Therefore, 

 what I shall have to say upon the subject will be my own conclusions, 

 arrived at from twenty-five years' experience in peach-growing; and if by 

 these few words I prevent some from making some of the mistakes I have 

 made, the object of these lines will be accomplished. 



Hardly a week passes in which I do not get a letter of inquiry as to 

 what are profitable varieties to plant. In many cases there will be 

 enclosed a list of which the writer thought favorably, and I am asked what 

 I would strike out and what add. 



In nearly all these lists, I readily discover the earmarks of the very know- 

 ing tree agent, or the wonderful descriptions of the many flaming catalogues 

 circulated through the mails. 



We may pride ourselves on our knowledge and experience, so as not to 

 be caught by these beautiful fruits on paper, but we all have to admit they 

 have their influence on us. One of these that caught me was the Wheat- 

 land. It is a beautiful peach, and I have been trying to grow it ten years, 

 and if I had had ten acres of the sort for that length of time I would not 

 have had ten bushels of peaches. The Foster has been nearly as bad a 

 failure with me. Crawford's Early has been of no profit to me. Crawford's 



