96 GENERAL HISTORY. 



On Wednesday afternoon Judge Ramsdell described his fruit house, con- 

 structed for retarding the ripening of fruits by means of ice. 



The afternoon session was largely devoted to reports of oflBcers and com- 

 mittees at the State fair in September. 



The report of T. T. Lyon, as chairman of the standing committee on new- 

 fruits, was received, together with his report as delegate to the meeting of the 

 American Pomological Society. 



The secretary's annual statement was then read, giving a gene a view o 

 the operations of the past year, with the preparation and publication of the 

 catalogue, the effort to secure a suitable room in the new capitol, quarterly 

 meetings, local societies, the annual fair, the premium list, the orchard com- 

 mittee and numerous other matters. 



This was followed by the report of the treasurer, after which the following 

 persons were elected officers for the year 1880: 



President — T. T. Lyon, of South Haven. 



Secretary — Charles W. Garfield, Grand Rapids. 



Treasurer — S. M. Pearsall, Grand Rapids. 



Members of Executive Board (full term) — N. Chilson, Battle Creek; James 

 Satterlee, Greenville; (vacancy) — C. R. Coryell, Jonesville. 



Also the usual number of vice-presidents. 



On motion, the office of librarian was created, and Eli Bidleman, of Lan- 

 sing, was appointed to that position, 



At the evening session, "The Practical Workings of the Yellows Law" 

 were discussed in a paper by Rev. J. F. Taylor, of Saugatuck. He regarded 

 the law as well calculated to defeat its own execution, and chiefly valuable as 

 an educator of public opinion. 



In the course of tlie discussion J. C. Gould, of Paw Paw, a commissioner, 

 thought there was too much red tape about the law, but they had managed to 

 enforce it pretty well. 



" How to Use Flowers in the Church, the Home and the School Room " 

 was the next subject discussed, its consideration being opened by Rev. 

 Charles Fluhrer, of Grand Rapids, in a paper replete with appropriate sug- 

 gestions. 



Another essay followed on the same subject, from Rev. J. Sailor, of Allegan. 



Secretary Garfield, after a few remarks of his own, read a paper prepared 

 by Miss Emma Field, of Grand Rapids, on "Flowers'in the School Room." 

 It gave a characteristic picture of the average country school-house, followed 

 by a finely drawn picture of an ideal and possible one. 



Professor Beal gave an interesting address upon '' Horticulture at the Agri- 

 cultural College." 



On Thursday morning the session opened with a discussion of the proposi- 

 tion to change the name of the society from " Pomological " to " Horti- 

 cultural." The subject, on the motion of H. C. Sherwood, was laid on the 

 table. 



The question of hedges, as farm fences, which had been deferred to this 

 meeting from a previous one, was now discussed. 



J. C. Ratcliff, of Indiana, said hedges had proved abortive in his vicinity, 

 and people were turning to wire fences. He also, by request, made a general 

 statement of the work and condition of the Indiana Horticultural Society. 



F. A. Gulley, on Thursday afternoon, addressed the society on the subject 

 of *' Horticultural Literature," referring to the very common prejudice against 



