424 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



engaged in the business as to induce them to plant varieties possessing only 

 the single merit of beauty, with the consequent ability to capture the fancy 

 of ignorant and greedy louyers, by misleading them with the expectation of 

 finding quality associated with attractiveness, thus enacting a falsehood as 

 positively as if actually spoken. Even these, however, are not the only if 

 indeed they are the worst, results of modern commercial fruit-culture. Stu- 

 dents, as such men usually are, they too often come to be so fully given up 

 to commercial considerations that in their advice to planters, in their publi- 

 cations through the press, and wherever they have occasion to express their 

 views, all is brought to the test of profitableness; and the person who would 

 plant a tree, even for dessert purposes, is advised to procure a Red Astrachan, 

 a Maiden's Blush, or perchance a Ben Davis or a Peunock, only to find them 

 suitable to take rank with the potatoes and cabbages of the vegetable cellar. 



So general and potent has this influence become, that there is much appar- 

 ent danger that many of the excellent accumulations of the past will be lost 

 to the u)ass of planters, even if not buried in utter oblivion. The inevifc- 

 table result is that dessert fruits proper are almost unknown to city markets, 

 so that the demand for such fruits is doubtless but a mere tithe of what it 

 would be if suitable varieties for the purpose could be obtained. 



Although the society originally assumed the title " pomological," even those 

 who most persistently objected to its change, have steadily approved of its 

 covering the entire field of horticulture. While with one hand it contributed 

 to the building up and sytematizing of the commercial fruitgrowing interests, 

 with the other it promoted the formation of local societies, and through them 

 lent an influence to the growth of family and amateur orcharding; and 

 through its catalogues and its discussions gave wide publicity to such informa- 

 tion as it was able to glean both at home and abroad. 



But not alone at home is its influence felt. It may fairly congratulate 

 itself that through the exhibition of our products abroad, through the circu- 

 lation of its transactions, and by the reciprocation of visits with State and 

 other societies, the fruitgrowing capacities of Michigan have come to be 

 generally known and highly appreciated. As an indication of how the work 

 of the society is esteemed abroad, we quote the following from the Michigan 

 Farmer of Jan. 17th last: 



"The Horticultural Times of England has the following complimentary reference to 

 the Michigan Horticultural Society in a late issue : 



' What is the use of your continually urging on the Royal Horticultural Society to 

 reform itself,' writes one of the fellows of that institution, ' when you know that the 

 reform must come from without, and not from within ? The public takes little inter- 

 est in their shows, and are content to leave matters as they are ; and so long as this 

 state of things continues, so long will the society remain as it is. After all, it has done 

 something to popularize horticulture among the masses. Indeed, most flower shows, 

 with their music and so on, also spread amongst the people an elevating taste. Look 

 at the Royal Botanic fetes !' Perhaps the best answer to this statement is the report 

 of the Michigan Horticultural Society, which has reached us. Here is a record of good, 

 solid work, even though the music and fire-works are left out. We have nothing to 

 urge against the recreation of the people — far from it ; we only assert that it is not the 

 proper function of a horticultural society to provide it. A horticultural society exists 

 for the advance of horticulture, and it goes out of its way when it attempts to fulfill 

 any other duties. In the United States, though recreation is by no means neglected. 



