50 GENERAL HISTORY. 



In his report as chairman of the committee on nomenclature, George Par- 

 melee remarks : "In the names of apples, the most common of fruits, we 

 found most confusion. Here, as at other fairs, the fact was perfectly patent 

 that worthless varieties are grown all over the State. Our society, has, at 

 various times, raised its voice against the careless selection of varieties, 

 but men plant trees who never heard of this society, and many more thera 

 are who never read a report of its meetings. Of wliat use is our combined 

 experience ? Our members will, to a great extent, correct this evil in their 

 own planting, but we see the need of extending our membership and influ- 

 ence." 



The society held a meeting at Spring Lake, Ottawa county, on the Gth of 

 October, 1874, with a fair attendance and a very good show of fruit. 



Reports stated that, this season, two banks, one at St. Joseph and one at 

 Benton Harbor, had paid out to fruit growers $200,000. Reports of a more 

 or less encouraging character were made from iMauistee, Spring Lake, Grand 

 Haven, Peach Plains, Ionia, Cascade, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Grand Traverse, 

 and other localities. 



The next meeting of the society was its annual meeting, which occurr 'd at 

 Ionia, on December 2d, 1874, upou the invitation of the Ionia County Agri- 

 cultural Society. 



The matter of arranging for the exhibition from this Si^ate at the Centen- 

 nial was taken up and a committee of arrangements appointed, consisting of 

 €. L. Whitney, of Muskegon, Secretary J. P. Thompson, T. T. Lyon, S. 0. 

 Knapp, J. C. Holmes, and Perry Hannah. 



A committee, with George Parmelee as chairman, recommended Early 

 Richmond, English Morello, Heine Hortense, Mayduke and Belle Magnifique 

 as hardy cherries, also for favorable localities. Early Purple, Elton, Bigar- 

 reau, Rockport, Black Eagle, Knight's Early and Black Tartarian. 



*' Air, the Source of Fertilization of Plants,'' was the subject of an inte- 

 resting address during the first evening by George Parmelee. 



The death of George Gridley, one of the members of the society, was an- 

 nounced, and a committee named to draft appropriate resolutions. 



Professor W. J. Beal delivered a lecture on how plants grow, a large dele- 

 gation from the public schools being in attendance. 



Professor Cook followed with a lecture on the codling moth. Both lec- 

 tures Avere illustrated by blackboard drawings. 



There were three hundred and twenty plates of fruit on exhibition, Grand 

 Traverse being especially well represented. There was also a small exhibit 

 of flowers. 



A learned and valuable paper was read by Charles F. Wheeler, of Hubbards- 

 ton, on "Random Botanical Notes, Historical and Otherwise," in which, among 

 other particulars, he gave a sketch of the work done in investigating and 

 cataloguing the plants of Michigan. Among those who have contributed to 

 aid in tliis work he named Drs. Douglass Houghton and Zina Pitcher, 

 Dr. John Riddle, of Ohio, Dr. John Wright, Dr. Abram Sager, Professor 

 George P. Williams, Miss Mary 11. Clark, W. D. Whitney, Professor N. H. 

 Winchell, J. B. Steere. He pleaded for the cultivation of native shade and 

 ornamental trees as being in many respects better than the foieigu ones intro- 

 duced for that purpose. 



In conclusion, he made an urgent plea for a more general and thorough 

 study of botany in general, and of the native plants of Michigan in particu- 

 lar. 



