WINTER MEETING, 1877. 65 



your connniLtee derive their chief encouragement in this field of genial labors. 

 This is a work into whicli your committee must throw themselves with earnest- 

 ness and enthusiasm, and it is with great pleasure that we receive the frequent 

 expressions of appreciation and encouragement from our pomologists. It is no 

 light matter, j\lr. President, to gain even a reluctant assent to the yielding up 

 of the received names, though ever so erroneous, and that are held sacred, by 

 every association and prejudice. " Why, my good old father and mother have 

 always called this the so-and-so pippin, and it is hard to hear you pronounce it 

 something else," is the substance of many a protest from honest growers. 

 Your committee indulge the hope that ere many years more of this persistent 

 labor in our educational department of pomology, we may have the pleasure of 

 correct lists by exliibitors generally, and not as the exception, as at present, and 

 that the time will come wlien wo shall no longer liave growers contradicting us 

 for calling their " Steele's Ked" the Eed Canada, or their "Red Canada" the 

 Flushing Spitzenberg ; Avhen we shall no longer be censured for witliholding a 

 recognition of Ben Davis and other tliird-rate varieties as iirst-class for Michigan ; 

 when growers will consent to drop the name of " Steele's Ked" for Ked Can- 

 ada, and eliminate all erroneous and superfluous names and sorts, clinging to 

 all that is good, whether new or old. 



Thursday Morning. 



Mr. Whitney offered the following : 



Resolved, That the Pomological Society should take steps at this or the June 

 meeting, to make an exhibition of Michigan fruit at the Chicago Exposition 

 the coming autumn. 



In support of this resolution, Mr. Whitney said our great fruit nuirket was 

 Chicago, and as a matter of financial benefit to our fruit growers, it is far bet- 

 ter for us to show there than even at the meeting of the American Pomologi- 

 cal Society in Baltimore, and as we can ill afford to show at botli places, he 

 felt that our effort should be concentrated at Chicago. 



On motion, the resolution was referred to the Executive Board. 



The question of the immediate disposal of the life membership fund was 

 brought up, and in the absence of Mr. Webber, the following communication 

 was read from him : 



The life memberslnp fund should be placed in condition for present use, and 

 not remain as an investment, because — 



i. This Society in its nature and objects, is not fitted to keep and safely care 

 for investments, and there is danger of loss, for that reason — 



3. This Society relies on the public for its income, and with that income it 

 assumes to serve the public, — with a large fund the public can have better and 

 greater service, and we sliould use our funds so far as we can to subserve the 

 greater good. Money invested in education is better than ten per cent. 



2. As now ordered, if we offer a life membership as a premium, we must 

 take the money from our annual fund and invest it. As we have not the money 

 for that purpose, we are prevented from offering life membership premiums. I 

 think it would be an advantage to the society to have a largely increased life 

 membership, that we may have a continued interest in the operations of the 

 society fostered and sustained by those who are permanent members, and who 



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