PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING. 99" 



Resohitions — Messrs. C. A. Sessions of Grand Rapids, R. Morrill of Benton Har- 

 bor, C. P. Chidester of Battle Creek. 



Exhibits — Messrs. O. W. Barnard of Manteno, Ills., R. J. Coryell of the Agricul- 

 tural College, O. Beebe of South Haven. 



The reports of the president, secretary and treasurer were presented in 

 due order: 



president's annual message. 



To the Members and Friends of the Michigan State Horticultural Society :- 



Ladies and Gentlemen — It would doubtless be more pleasant to the 

 society, as well as to myself, to indulge in congratulations upon the highly 

 important and valuable results already accomplished, through its instru- 

 mentality, leaving the problem of the future to the logic of then existing 

 conditions; yet, with societies as with individuals, little of value is usually 

 accomplished save as the outcome of deliberation, with matured plans and 

 careful and thorough eflficiency in their execution. 



It is far from doubtful if the great body of horticulturists, to say nothing 

 of our people generally, have an adequate conception of the amount of 

 good, both pecuniary and intellectual, that has inured to our people as a 

 whole, and to practical horticulturists especially, from the gratuitous 

 labors of this society, together with those more or less directly due to its 

 inspiration. 



We accord little credit to the person who deliberately avails himself of. 

 benefits due to the unrequited efforts of others, while neglecting or refus-- 

 ing to efiPectively minister to the success or efficiency of such efforts. 



There is ample occasion for the application of these thoughts in the case- 

 of this society, since there is no lack of those who take the utmost advant- 

 age of information and conditions wrought out largely, if not wholly, by 

 its efforts, while yet they refuse, or at least omit, to contribute even the- 

 raite of a membership fee toward the promotion or sustaining of such 

 efforts. 



This is by no means the first time that I have taken occasion to ur^e 

 the society to act upon the consideration that there is a degree of inertia 

 in the minds of people, which must be attacked and overcome. The fact 

 should be distinctly set forth that the society lives and prospers only upon 

 memberships; and it should not be forgotten that, while a person may- 

 have the requisite dollar in his pocket, fairly throbbing to be applied to 

 this purpose, it may be expecting too much of very many modest men that 

 they shall put themselves forward to proffer the requisite fee, or that many- 

 such persons may act out the thought that "what is worth having is worth 

 asking for; " and the asking should certainly and effectively be done when- 

 ever appropriate occasion shall occur. To do otherwise is to invite, if not 

 even to insure, inaction and decrepitude. 



The efficiency of this, as of other organizations of a voluntary character, 

 must necessarily depend very largely upon the efforts of those more 

 directly concerned in the interests which it is designed to promote. Such 

 being the fact, it is clearly of the highest importance that the society be 

 able to enlist the active cooperation of those engaged in horticultural 

 pursuits. 



To this end we have been able to devise no more effective means than 

 that so generally adopted by kindred societies, but which our society has. 



