FORTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. 157 



of Northern Michigan was destined to become a great fruit growing sec- 

 tion. This gave him a desire to select somewhere in this favored region 

 an ideal location for the production of fruit and the building of an ideal 

 home. He bought a tract of land on the north end of the peninsula ex- 

 tending into Grand Traverse Bay, surrounded by the deep waters of 

 the beautiful bay, with a long chain of lakes extending far to the east- 

 ward and on the north and west the greater waters of Lake Michigan. 



Mr. Parmalee at once began the task of preparing his land for the 

 starting of a great orchard, first getting the soil into a good state of 

 cultivation before planting the trees. Large plantings were made of 

 apples, pears, peaches and cherries. He was the first man to call at- 

 tention to the possibilities of cherry growing in this region, noAV one 

 of its most important industries. 



Mr. Parmalee was a valuable citizen always working for the good of 

 the community in which he lived. He was a close observer, a natural 

 student, an interesting speaker and a good teacher. 



Mr. Garfield the next on the program in a little reminiscence of the 

 early days of this Society, In "the Beginning" by Mr. J. Satterlee. 



Mr. Satterlee responded as follows : 



Mr. Toastmaster and Friends: 



The possibilities of horticulture were early recognized in Michigan. 

 The abundance of Avild fruits and the seedling apple trees and especially 

 the ancient pear trees at Detroit and Monroe were an indication of what 

 the future had in store for us. 



The first horticultural society in the state of which we have any 

 record was one organized at Detroit in 1841. This only lasted a year 

 or tAvo and died for lack of general interest. A nurserymen's associa- 

 tion existed in Southern Michigan, also, from 1853 to 1855. On Septem- 

 ber 8, 1857 a meeting was called at Jackson for the formation of a State 

 Horticultural Society. H. G. Wells Avas elected resident; R. F. John- 

 stone, Secretary, and P. B. Loomis, Treasurer. The next annual meet- 

 ing Avas held at Kalamazoo, Avhen H. G. Wells Avas re-elected President; 

 T. T. Lyon, Secretary; and S. S. Cobb, Treasurer. Through some mis- 

 understanding, the Society became disorganized the following year. 



Our present Society was organized in Grand Rapids on the 11th of 

 February, 1870. It was organized as the Michigan State Pomological 

 Society. Among its early Presidents were H. G. Sanders, J. P. Thomp 

 son, A. S. Dyckman, George Parmalee and then for many years T. T. 

 Lyon. Among the early Secretaries AA^ere: A. T. Linderman and J. P. 

 Thompson, C. W. Garfield Avas made secretary pro-tem in 1876 and at 

 the next annual meeting was elected Secretary and for many years 

 thereafter was continued in that position. Lyon and Garfield Avere a 

 great team, and it Avas during their administration that our Society 

 made its greatest groAvth and became a model for all similar societies 

 throughout the United States. 



During the first few years, monthly meetings AA-ere held, but in 1874 

 the program Avas changed to four meetings per year. The annual meeting 

 in December, the Avinter meeting in February, the summer meeting in 

 June and the fall meeting at the time of the annual fair of the State 

 Agricultural Society. During the early years, Ave were favored Avith 

 visits from Wm. Saunders from Canada, WoodAvard and Willard of New 



