20 GENERAL HISTORY. 



For some reason not well understood, upon the approach of the time for 

 the annual meeting there was an apparent reluctance on the part of the 

 President to participate in the steps necessary to its assembling, and the Sec- 

 retary being unwilling to assume the entire responsibility, the call was not 

 issued, anil the Society became disorganized. 



At Grand Rapids an organization had existed several years prior to 1872, 

 known as the Northern Michigan Agricultural and Mechanical Association, 

 which had held its fairs upon the grounds of the Kent County Agricultural 

 Society. Some jealousy and rivalry had arisen between this association and 

 the State Agricultural Society; and in 1872. the association having fixed 

 upon the third week in September, the State Agricultural Society chose the 

 same date for its fair at the neighboring city of Kalamazoo. The result of 

 such conflict of dates was a strong rivalry between the two exhibitions, both 

 of which were large and creditable. 



The horticultural portion of the exhibition at Grand Rapids was in charge 

 of the Michigan State Pomological Society, which so far had continued its 

 headquarters at Grand Rapids. 



The obvious impolicy of a continuance of the rivalry spoken of led to con- 

 ferences between the two rivals, and finally, prior to the holding of tlie fair 

 of 1873, to a consolidation of the two, and the holding of the fair for that 

 year at Grand Rapids — the consolidated society retaining the title of the State 

 Agricultural Society. 



The Central Michigan Agricultural Society was organized in 1866, with 

 headquarters at Lansing. It inaugurated the plan of a spring exhibition in 

 addition to the usual autumn fair. Under an amendment of the law by the 

 Legisla'ure, the society was re-organized, including in its re-organization the 

 counties of Ingham, Clinton, Eaton, Shiawassee and Livingston. 



An Eastern Michigan Agricultural and Mechanical Association was organ- 

 ized in 1871, including what is known as the Saginaw valley. 



The State Agricultural Society, which for the first time held its annual fair 

 at Grand Rapids in 187o, has not repeated its exhibition at that place. For 

 this reason, apparently, the people of that locality, in 1874, organized a new 

 district society, known as the Western Michigan Agricultural and Industrial 

 Association, which has held its fairs annually on the grounds of the Kent 

 county society down to the present time. The tributary region does not 

 appear to be specified, althougli its officers are drawn from the west two tiers 

 of counties between Grand Traverse and the south line of the State. 



On May 27, 1884, at a meeting held at Grand Haven, Ottawa count}', the 

 "West Michig;ai Fruit-Growers' Society was organized. Its objects, as specified 

 by a resolution, were: — " To unite the fruit growers along the western shore 

 of this State for the purpose of promoting the best methods of cultivating 

 and marketing fruit." 



In its proceedings, however, the society does not confine itself to the depart- 

 ments set forth in its declaration of objects, since its programmes and discus- 

 sions cover the entire field of horticulture. 



In 1855 Esek C. Roberts, long a resident of Salem, Washtenaw county, 

 sent to the State Agricultural Society an essay on the cause and cure of 

 potato rot, which at that time had become a serious drawback itpon the prof- 

 itable cultivation of that esculent. This was wiih Mr. Roberts a secret by 

 the use of which he claimed to be able to renew the health and vigor of the 

 plant and insure exemption from the disease. The essay was furnished in 

 competition for a premium offered, in winning which, however, it was not sue- 



