568 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



J. C. Slcrlinjr, Monroe, Monroe count}'. 



Wm. C. Sterling, Monroe, Monroe county. 



Georsre Parmele^, Old Mission, Grand Traverse county. 



T. T. Lyon, Soulli Haven, Van Buren counl3\ 



James D. Husled, Lowell, Kent county. 



N. P. Husted. Lowell, Kent county. 



John Smile, Grand Rapids, Kent county. 



M. S. Crosby, Grand Rapids, Kent county. 



E. n. McCallum, Old Mission, Grand Traverse county. 



Antoine Wier, Monroe, Monroe county. 



Thomas Doyle, Monroe, Monroe county. 



E. T. Smith, Ionia, Ionia county. 



George W. Bruckner, Monroe, Monroe county. 



John C. Greening, Monroe, Monroe county. 



Mrs. George Parmelee, Old Mission, Grand Traverse county. 



J. P. Tliompson, Cascade Springs, Kent county. 



James Vick, Rochester, New York State. 



Mrs. David H. Jerome, Saginaw City, Saginaw county. 



A. J. Dean, Adrian, Lenawee county. 



L. F. Bragg, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo count}'. 



J. M. Stearns, Kalamazob, Kalamazoo county. 



T. R. Renwick, Grand Rapids, Kent count}'. 



N. E. Smith, Ionia, Ionia county. 



Explanation. — It will be noted that the above list includes seventy-eight names, and we have but $'00 

 invested. In the early history of the society the receipts for life membership were used and paid out for 

 premiums and current expenses. I would recommend tliat an amount sufficient to balance the indebtedness 

 of the society to this fund be appropriated whenever the funds of the society will admit of such an adjust- 

 ment, so that this fund shall represent every life membership taken from the foundation ot the society. 



In order to take counsel of others who had passed through a similar experi- 

 ence, — the life beginning, — a letter was addressed to the secretary of the Mas- 

 sachusetts Horticultural Society, to which was received the following answer: 



Boston, November 7, 1874. 



Dear Sir:— Mr. Rand, our recording secretary, has placed in my hand yours of the 2d 

 inst. , which I hasten to answer as well as I can. It is a difBcult matter to give a history of 

 our Massachusetts Horticultural Society. It would take more ink than I now have to spare, 

 but is being written up by our editor for publication at some future time. I can only say 

 that we began, as do most other similar institutions, in a small way, and, like Topsy, have 

 " growed !" 



Our funds are mainly the result of fortunate investments in real estate, until we are now 

 the happy possessors of a home, worth. in the market three hutidred thousand dollars, and 

 more beautiful and comfortable than that of any similar institution in the world, and a 

 library acknowledged to be also the best. I send you by this mail our current publications, 

 and if you will look at my account as treasurer, you will see where our money comes from, 

 and iciiere it goes to also. The catalogue of library does not represent the worth of it. Since 

 that publication, we have added full twenty per cent to its value by the purchase of rare old 

 works. Do not think me boastful. I mean to state only facts, and I think you would 

 warrant them if you were to visit us and see for yourself. 



You ask if the State does anything for us? Yes : it did charter us many years ago, and 

 now it makes us pay awful taxes {vide treasurer's report) ; nothing more. We have to fight 

 our own battles. 



I send you a copy of our by-laws, that you may see how we are governed, and also a 

 schedule of prizes, that will tell you of our exhibition. Number 1 of this year's Transac- 

 tions gives a report of discussions in the spring. They were discontinued in the summer, 

 and just now resumed. 



We rejoice in the establishment of sister societies all through the land. A great work is 

 now being done in that direction, and we shall be glad to know of your prosperity, even if 

 greater than ours. 



Please accept our thanks for your invitation to visit you. We cordially reciprocate all 

 such favors in their fullest meaning. I for myself promise, when I get so far west, to avail 

 myself of your kind hospitality. Respectfully and kindly yours, 



E.W. BUSWELL, 



Treas. and Cor. Scc'y. 



