• GENERAL HISTORY. 51 



On Wednesday evening the first business was the election of officers for the 

 ensuing year, but after more than an hour spent in a vain effort to elect a 

 president the election was postponed. 



Hon. Alonzo Sessions then delivered a brief address on the subject of 

 wheat culture in Ionia county. 



J. C. Holmes, of Detroit, on behalf of the commiitee on the Centennial 

 Exhibition, reported the following: 



Resolved, That the Michigan State Pomological Society deems it expedient to exhiljit 

 horticultural products at the Centennial Exhibition, to be held in Philadelphia, in 1876, 

 provided a sufficient amount of funds can be raised to meet the necessary expenses. 



Resolved, That the society extend an invitation to local horticultural societies to co- 

 operate with it. 



J. C. Holmes read a historical sketch of the organization of agricultural 

 societies in Michigan. 



The meeting appointed H. Dale Adams, S. 0. Knapp and George W. 

 Webber a committee to confer with the State Agricultural Society relative to 

 holding a union fair in September, 1875. 



On Thursday morning the society proceeded to the election, deferred from 

 yesterday, when the following persons were elected : — 



President — George Parmelee, Old Mission. 



Vice-presidents — One from each county. 



Secretary — J. P. Thompson, Grand Kapids, 



Treasurer — Henry Seymour, Grand Eapids. 



Members of Executive Committee — W. L. "Webber, East Saginaw; D. E. 

 "Waters. Spring Lake. 



The following were chosen delegates to the meeting of the Western New 

 York Horticultural Society, at Rochester, on January 10th, 1875, viz : J. C. 

 Holmes, T. T. Lyon, C. P. Avery, H. P. Hanford, A. S. Dyckman. 



J. 0. Holmes presented an invitation from the State Poultry Society to 

 join them in their January exhibition at Detroit, but the invitation was not 

 accepted. 



On behalf of the people of Lansing, Professor Beal invited the society to 

 hold its February meeting in that city. The invitation was accepted. 



Mr. Bradfield moved to amend the constitution so as to require all officers 

 to become members of the society. The motion was laid on the table under 

 the rule. 



Hon. J. Webster Childs, of Ypsilanti, gave an address on " The Agricul- 

 tural Wants of Michigan." 



Following which was a paper by T.T. Lyon on ''Plums and Plum Culture," 

 and one by H. S. Clubb, on the " Characteristics of the East Shore of Lake 

 Michigan." 



The usual complimentary resolutions were adopted. 



The committee on apples exhibited, thought nearly all worthy of premiums, 

 -and especially commended the Grand Traverse Club and N. E. Smith, of 

 Ionia. 



The committee on grapes, pears and wines reported a good exhibit in these 

 classes and also in dried fruits. 



After a very interesting and useful meeting the society adjourned. A 

 Northwestern Fruit Growers' Distributing Association was organized at Chi- 

 cago on January oth, 1875, which, although not strictly a Michigan organiza- 

 tion, was expected to include a large membership in this State. 



