130 GENERAL HISTORY. 



" Landscape Gardening for Small Places," was the subject of a letter from 

 R. Haigh, Jr., chairman of the standing committee on landscape gardening, 

 giving many useful hints respecting the principles to be applied in the im- 

 provement of such places, and the subject was continued in a somewhat 

 lengthy discussion. 



."The final evening session was mainly given up to social exercises, consisting 

 of responses to sentiments, freely interspersed with excellent music, render- 

 ing the occasion a very enjoyable one. 



^, W. W. Hilborn, of Arkona, Ontario, occupied a few minutes with some 

 account of the condition of fruit culture in his vicinity. 



P. C. Dempsey made a very flattering report on behalf of the committee on 

 fruits exhibited. 



A large exhibit of potatoes was reported by tffe committee, but the varieties 

 were not thought to be the best for cultivation in ]\Iichigan. 



The exhibit of syrups, jellies, wines and honey was reported as very fine, 

 including a specimen of tea grown and prepared in South Carolina, which 

 the committee found to be of fine quality. 



The committee on resolutions being called submitted a report, including a 

 feeling reference to' the death of J. Webster Childs, of Ypsilanti, which were 

 accepted and adopted, whereupon the society adjourned. 



At a session of the executive board, held at Flint, December 5th and 6th, 

 the resignation of Librarian F. W. King, on account of failing health, was 

 accepted, and Thomas H. Forster was appointed to fill the vacancy. 



During the winter of 1882-3, a proposition was talked of in certain quarters 

 to re-organize the State Board of Agriculture, create a State experiment 

 station, and place that, together with the Agricultural College, the collec- 

 tion of crop statistics and some other matters under their charge, and steps 

 were taken to bring the proposition before the legislature in the form of a 

 bill, but so much opposition was manifested in unexpected quarters that the 

 attempt was very soon abandoned as impracticable. 



The records of the executive board show that a final settlement was effected 

 with Ex-treasurer H. Dale Adams and balance due the society paid by him on 

 February 26th, 1883. 



The winter meeting of the State Horticultural Society was held at Mar- 

 shall, on March 8th, 1883, the meeting having been fixed at a later date than 

 usual on account of the absence of the president at Xew Orleans, as delegate 

 from the society to the meeting of the Mississippi Valley Horticultural Soci- 

 ety. 



The meeting was called to order by President Hubbard, of the Calhoun 

 County Agricultural Society, who introduced the president of the State Hor- 

 ticultural Society, after which the secretary's correspondence was disposed of. 



B. G. Buell, of the Volinia Farmers' Club, followed with a paper, replying 

 to the question, " What Inducements have Farmers for Increasing Their 

 Apple Orchards ?" The tenor of the paper was to the effect that while, with 

 unfortunate choice of varieties and lack of intelligent care, many orchards 

 prove unprofitable, with an intelligent adaptation of varie;ies to soils, and 

 judicious and liberal after management, the orchaid will prove decidedly 

 more profitable, acre for acre, than grain, with far less outgo in case of the 

 occasional loss of a crop. 



^' J. N. Stearns followed with a paper entitled "How to Make Our Orchards 

 Pay." The means proposed were thinning, offering only prime fruit, honest 

 packing, and proper choice of varieties. 



