REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 617 



OCEANA COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Shelby, Mich., Nov. 12, 1887. 



Ghas. W. Garfield, Secretary Michigan Horticultural Society : 



I herewith submit a report of Oceana County Horticultural Society for the 

 year 1887. The annual meeting for the election of officers for the ensuing 

 year was held at Shelby, Dec. 18, 1886. The following are the names of 

 officers elected : 



Presideyit — A. Adams, Shelby. 

 Vice President — Benton Gebhart, Mears. 

 Secretary — T. S. Braman, Shelby. 

 Treasurer — A. E. Souter, Shelby. 



Board of Directors — Rhodes Willetts, Shelby; Thos. Sebring, Shelby; 

 Benton Gebhart, Mears; W. E. Ambler, Pentwater; Benj. S. Garver, Hart. 



A mass meeting of the county fruit growers was held at Shelby, Feb. 2d 

 and 3d. Papers were read upon the following subjects : 



"Oceana County for Fruit, Adaptability of Soil and Climate," C. A. Ses- 

 sions; "^Small Fruit Growing," J. M. Haight ; "The Plum, Best Varieties 

 for Cultivation and its Insect Enemies," Benton S. Gebhart ; "Growing and 

 Marketing the Potato," 0. K. White; "Planting and Growing a Peach 

 Orchard," C. A. Hawley; "Floriculture," Miss Ida Woodward ; "The Apple, 

 Cultivation, Marketing and Best Varieties," D. L. Garver; "Best Market 

 Varieties of Peaches," N. Adams; "Profits of Sheep Husbandry," D. C. 

 Oakes; "The Farmer, Past and Present," L. B. Mitchell; "The Best Fer- 

 tilizer for the Peach Orchard," Thos. Sebring ; "The Profits of Bee Keeping," 

 W. H. Barry; "The Relative Profits of the Farmer and Merchant," Jas. 

 Watts. 



Six regular meetings have been held during the year. The society at pres- 

 ent numbers but about fourteen members : A. Adams, C. A. Hawley, C. A. 

 Sessions, N. B. Farnsworth, T. S. Bramin, E. Stanhope, Benton Gebhart, 

 Benj. Garver, Aaron Gebhart, D. L. Garver, Jas. Watts, A. E. Souter, Thos. 

 Sebring, W. E. Ambler. Mr. Sessions took our exhibit of fruit to State fair 

 from this county. 



There has been a large crop of fruit harvested the present season. I had 

 expected to get a full report of number of bushels of apples, peaches and 

 plums raised and sold in this county, but have not secured it as yet. It is 

 safe to say that a larger crop of the three named fruits has been produced than 

 in any previous season. 



