REPORT OF MEETINGS. 541 



The report was adopted without debate. 



EESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT. 



Mr. II. S. Clubb, of Grand Ilaven, chairman of the committee, reported 

 resolutions of respect for the late Joseph Gridley, of Kalamo, Eaton county. 

 The report was adopted unanimously, and a copy ordered sent to the bereaved 

 family. 



Prof. J. C. Ilolmcs then read a historical slcetch of the organization of ao-ri- 

 cultural societies in Michigan. 



EXPERIMENTS. 



C. W. Garfield, of the Agricultural College, spoke briefly of certain horticul- 

 tural experiments. The first was with the crossing of different varieties 

 of apples. Talman Sweet crossed with the Wagener gave an apple inferior 

 both, in taste and color to either of the originals. But the result of a cross 

 between the Talman Sweet and Red Astrachan was an apple both brighter in 

 color and richer in flavor than either of the originals. The crossing was 

 effected by the artificial application of the pollen. 



Experiments were also made in planting potatoes at various depth.-?, from si.x; 

 inches below the surface to six inches above, that is, upon the top of little sand 

 banks. The average product of those beneath the surface was not materially 

 different. In those above the surface there were far more settings, but they 

 wero very small potatoes. One section was planted with the tops of the j^ota- 

 toes about one-third in each case, and another section with the remainins: 

 stem ends. The yield of the latter section was considerably the larger of the 

 two. One section had the vines pruned and those of another left unpruned, 

 and the yield of the former section was the greater. The section contained 

 six hills each, and all the other conditions were the same. Experiments were 

 also made with bean vines to make them wind about the poles the wrong way, 

 but without success. It was found that the vines would die first. 



THE NEXT FAIR. 



Mr. H. Dale Adams moved that a committee of not less than three be ap- 

 pointed to confer with the Executive Committee of the State Agricultural 

 Society, relative to holding another union fair by the two societies. The 

 motion prevailed, and the President subsequently named as such committee 

 H. Dale Adams, of Kalamazoo ; S. 0. Knapp, of Jackson, and Geo. "W. Web- 

 ber, of Ionia. 



After some further interchange of opinion, the society adjourned to nine 

 o'clock Thursday morning. 



ELECTION OF OFFICERS. 



On reassembling Thursday morning, a second and successful attempt to 

 elect officers was made, with the following result: 



President — George Parmelee, Old Mission. 



Vice Presidents — One from each county in the State. 



Secretary — J. P. Thompson, Grand Rapids. 



Treasurer — Henry Seymour, Grand Rapids, 



Members of Executive Conunittee — AV. L. Webber, East Saginaw, and E. R. 

 Waters, Spring Lake. 



The president announced the following as the committee on resolutions : R. 

 F. Johnstone, H. P. Ilanford, and Edward Bradfield. 



