GENERAL HISTORY. 55 



Mr. Waters, of Spring Lake, reported that there would be no peaches at 

 that place, above the snow line. Grapes about two-thirds of a crop. Bald- 

 win and Rhode Island Greening apples had suffered most. 



After a very cordial welcoming address by Mayor Kedfield, he introduced 

 Governor Bagley, who made some very pleasant remarks as to the general 

 status of those engaged in horticulture. 



President F^armelee responded to these addresses and then introduced a 

 paper from Dr. Edward Dorsch, of Monroe, on "Our Friends, the Mole, the 

 Toad, the Spider and the Owl," which was read by Professor Boyd. 



On Wednesday morning many were absent visiting the vineyards and 

 orchards of George Bruckner, on Lotu^ Island. 



T. T. Lyon, chairman of the committee on the Chicago exhibition, reported 

 the appointment of a committee of thirteen collectors of fruits and the 

 arrangements made for the purpose. 



T. T. Lyon tendered his resignation as chairman of the society's committee 

 to report to the American Poraological Society a revis on of the starring of 

 the Michigan column of that society's catalogue, stating that A. T. Linderman 

 was the recognized member of rhat society's general fruit committee for 

 Michigan ; and, as such, properly charged with this duty ; and it seemed bet- 

 ter that the State society should yield in the interest of harmony. The 

 resignation was not accepted and the committee were instructed to proceed 

 with their work. 



Professor Beal delivered an illustrated lecture on ''Fungoid Growths," tak- 

 ing the position that fungi are not necessarily an indication of disease, but 

 that they sometimes appear upon living organisms, either animal or vegetable, 

 jR^here there had been no previous disease. 



Professor Cook, on the afternoon of Wednesday, delivered a lecture on the 

 " Phylloxera," the parasite that has so sadly injured the vineyards of France, 

 having been introduced there from America. Ue stated that the insect exists 

 in one form upon the leaf and m a different form upon the root, of both of 

 which he exhibited specimens. 



The society took a recess till evening to allow a visit by the members to 

 the nurseries of I. E. Ilgenfritz & Co. and Reynolds, Lewis & Co., adjacent 

 to the city. 



Wednesday evening, the Rev. Dr. Mattoon, of Monroe, gave a short humor- 

 ous and eloquent address on "Pomology, in the Line of Civilization," after 

 which President Parmelee read a paper on " The Connection of Pomology 

 with Meteorology." 



Hon. Edwin Willits closed the evening with a very interesting and finely 

 written "History of the Old Pear Trees of Monroe." This paper will be 

 largely quoted in the history of Monroe county. 



On Thursday an amendment to the constitution was proposed, providing 

 for the election of officers at the annual State fair. Under the society's 

 rules the question was laid over till the next regular meeting. 



A discussion of the English sparrow developed a wide difference of opinion 

 as to its granivorous and frugivorous habits. George S. Cowan introduced 

 them at Monroe, with the aid of contributions from E. S. Sill and J. M. 

 Sterling, who was induced to send for them by the action of the society. He 

 was a little surprised to see the society " go back " on the sparrow. 



Among the visitors present from other States were Secretary M. B. Bate- 

 ham, of the Ohio Horticultural Society, with Col. D. C. Richmond, Leo Welz 

 and G. F. Newton, of its executive committee, and Addison Kelley, of 



