FORTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. 47 



Mr. Rowe — I think these discussions are very profitable. In going 

 over the fruit section of the several states I have visited I find that 

 there is no one man that seems to excel in everything, but here and there 

 you will find a man that is pre-eminently at the top along one particular 

 line. For example, the best i>runer, the man who has the best pruned 

 orchard so that he doesn't have to use props, and the best pruner of a 

 peach orchard without any doubt is Horace Sessions. He has a special 

 system of pruning and it is an ideal system and yet Mr. Sessions is 

 terribly bothered with borers at the butt of his trees, so you see that 

 while he excels in one thing he has trouble in another direction. Then 

 there is another man who excels in his ability to handle men and his 

 workmen always stay with him and give the best of service. They will 

 work until midnight if necessary. You never see a broken limb, an in- 

 jured tree and the cultivation is the most thorough, and yet this man 

 has difficulties that other men have entirely surmounted, so I say we get 

 lots of good out of going and visiting personally the orchards of men 

 who have made a success in various directions and, especially, who have 

 made a success along lines in which we ourselves have not succeeded so 

 well. It is worth any man's time and money to go and visit Paul Rose 

 and watch how he handles his trees and fruit. No man can fail to be 

 benefited who visits Horace Sessions and learns from him his method 

 of pruning and so my suggestions would be that you take every oppor- 

 tunity you can to become familiar with particular lines of work from 

 men who have made a good success of the work. 



President Farrand — This discussion has been carried along to quite 

 an extent and as the hour is getting late I think we had better draw 

 it to a close. If there is nothing further the meeting will stand ad- 

 journed until the banquet this evening. 



ANNUAL BANQUET. 



Every year's meeting of the State Horticultural Society has for its 

 social feature the banquet which is attended by practically all the mem- 

 bers present, as well as others. It is a time that is looked forward to 

 with anticipation, not only because of the bountiful repast served and 

 the pleasant associations enjoyed, but for the afterpart, when the toasts 

 and responses are enlivened by sallies of wit and humor and repartee 

 as well as words of wisdom which come from those assigned places on 

 the program. For, be it known, that among the members of the State 

 Horticultural Society of Michigan are speakers who would grace the 

 festive board of any banquet, and whose eloquence would measure well 

 with that of speakers from more pretentious professions chosen to enter- 

 tain on occasions like this. 



The banquet was in the spacious dining room of the Stearns Hotel, 

 and was crowded to its utmost capacity in order to accommodate those 

 present. The supper was in keeping with the character of the hotel and 

 the dining room was gaily decorated for the occasion. At the appointed 

 hour the large crowd sat down amid the strains of music furnished by 

 the orchestra. The menu was as follows: 



