MAY MEETING AT ADA. 



Ada, Kent County, May 6th, 1873. 



Ada village is located near the confluence of the Thornapple and Grand 

 Eiver, ten miles east from the city of Grand Rapids, by the Detroit and Mil- 

 waukee railway. Its water power is good, and here is the celebrated grist mill 

 owned and run by E. Bradfield & Sons ; also the Kent county mill, which has 

 been operated by Averill & Co. There are three churches in the town, Baptist, 

 Congregational and Methodist. A new and commodious school house is an 

 honor to the village and its inhabitants. Hon. Rix Robinson, who settled in 

 this section over fifty years ago, resides in the village, and is an honored relic 

 of the first settlement of "Western Michigan. The site of the famous hotel, 

 kept in early days by the late Judge Digby V. Bell, also by the father of Judge 

 S. L. Withey, is pointed out as the scene of many a meeting of the early 

 settlers. 



Surrounding Ada are the fine towns of Lowell, Vergennes, Cannon, Grattan, 

 Cascade, and Grand Rapids town. Cascade Springs, fast becoming noted for their 

 healing medical waters, are two miles south of Ada. This is an excellent fruit 

 section. During the past winter the "Polar wave" seemed to centralize its 

 influence at and near Ada, for the thermometer was reported as low as 40 degrees 

 below zero, in December last, at this place. Here was thought to be a good 

 place to hold a Pomological meeting in order to test the efiects of the cold 

 winter on the fruits and fruit trees, and consequently the May meeting of the 

 State Pomological Society commenced here to-day. The attendance was larger 

 than expected, the interest manifested was commendable, and the exhibition of 

 live fruit buds and the display of fruits has been quite astonishing. 



The meeting was called to order by Henry Holt, Esq., Vice President for 

 Kent county, and at Secretary Thompson's table were Messrs. Garfield and 

 Linderman, reporters for the Grand Rapids press. 



CORRESPOKDEISrCE. 



A number of letters were read. Among them was one from T. T. Lyon, of 

 Plymouth, giving very favorable reports of fruit in his vicinity. The Black 

 Cap, Philadelphia, and EUisdale Raspberries were alive to the very tip. Geo. 

 W. Bruckner, writing of the Monroe vineyards, said it was scarcely time to 

 come at any definite opinions about fruit prospects, but it was certain that the 

 Catawba and Concord grapes were all right. It was not certain about the 

 Delaware which had not proven so hardy as the Concord. 



Converse Close, of Grattan, a fine fruit township, reported that they have 

 every prospect of a good crop of fruit of all kinds, even peaches not excepted. 

 His Early Barnards promised best. This is fifty miles east of Lake Michigan,, 

 and is outside of the Lake Shore Peach Belt. 



