512 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIEIY. 



THE YELLOWS INVESTIGATION. 



A year ago our society petitioned the Department of Agriculture to give 

 some atteotion to the investigation of peach yellows. The petition was m 

 the form of a letter from one of our members, S. S. Bailey, of Grand Rap- 

 ids, and endorsed by our society. Commissioner Colman gave a listening 

 ear and detailed a special agent, one of our own Michigan boys, Mr. Erwin 

 F. Smith, to investigate the disease. Mr. Smith has worked in Maryland and 

 Delaware, and Mr. Colman informs me that the work will be continued if 

 appropriations are not cut off. 



[forestry MATTERS. 



As a result of the agitation of the forestry question, one of our members 

 who was in the last legislature pushed through a bill in the interests of forest 

 preservation. Hon. N. A. Beecher, of Genesee county, has the honor of pre- 

 paring the way for the Independent Forestry Commission, which has been 

 appointed by the governor and is already organized and at work. The plan 

 is to gather statistical matter and make recommendations to the next legis- 

 lature for future action. 



DELEGATES ABROAD. 



Aside from the delegate I have mentioned as representing us at Washington, 

 we had delegates at the annual meetings of the Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin 

 horticultural societies, also at the Ontario Fruit Growers' association. This 

 fraternal exchange of delegates is to be commended so far as the condition, 

 of our finances will justify it. 



OUR LOCAL SOCIETIES. 



The action of the railroads under the inter-State commerce law in cutting 

 off all courtesies to our society has prevented that intimate relationship 

 heretofore existing between the parent and branch societies. Whether this or 

 some other causes have been working I can hardly tell, but many of our soci- 

 eties are languishing and the best method of putting new life into them is a 

 problem for immediate solution. Several of the societies, notably those in 

 Kent, Lenawee, Eaton and Wexford counties are in a very thriving condiiion; 

 others have not convened during the year. One fact is indisputable, that 

 every society that earnestly adopts the plan of meeting at the homes of the 

 members succeeds. My conviction is that the solution of this difficulty lies 

 in adopting this system very generally. 



FINANCES. 



The following is an analysis of the Society's receipts and expenditures, 

 for the year closing Dec. 1, 1887: 



RECEIPTS. 



From local societies $157 50 



" annual members- 28 00 



" interest on life fund 115 00 



" State Agricultural Society 1,400 00 



" sale of fruit 40 00 



" of report 1 00 



Total income of society.. -. $1,741 50* 



