100 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



sumcr. I have been eating sour straAvbcrrics from the beginning of the season. 

 They were all tempting enongli to look upon but I have not eaten a real luseioua 

 sweet berry this year, and doubt if there has been one in the city of Detroit. 

 The venders come along the street crying their "Fresh ripe strawberries ten 

 cents a quart," but the little girl who came out of the gate crying in derision 

 " Fearful sour strawberries ten cents a quart" echoed my sentiments exactly. 

 I wish our strawberry men would pay more attention to the quality of their 

 berries, and I am not particular how large they are. My physician seemed to 

 connive with the berry venders this year. lie recommended an acid diet and 

 the berry men furnished tlie material. It is said that the Wilson strawberry is 

 the one principally on market. If those I have eaten are Wilsons I am' a AVil- 

 son man no longer. Let us have something good to eat as well as good to ship. 



Mr. Lyon. — I would say to Mr. Thompson that the trouble with the "Wilson 

 does not lie in the intrinsic merit of the berry, but in the fact that growers ship 

 it when too green for eating. When thoroughly ripe it is excellent in quality. 



Mr. Winchester. — For our soil we like the Monarch of the AVest very much. 

 We are upon a sandy foundation and it seems adapted to our conditions. 



Mr. P. C. Davis. — There is a great difference in the Monarch on clav and 

 sand. I have had them this season of beautiful, regular form on sandy soil, 

 quite irregular on loam, and exceedingly contorted and ill shaped tipon clay. 



Wednesday Afternoon, 



The following essay was then read from the pen of one of the oldest members 

 of the society, Mr. S. B. Peck, of Muskegon, on 



THE AGE IN WHICH WE LIVE. 



Great changes have taken place within the century just past in almost every- 

 thing that relates to human life. By reference to history and our own experi- 

 ences we shall see that these changes have been more marked within the last 

 half of the period. These great changes have by common consent taken the 

 names of improvements, and if the accumulation of property be the main busi- 

 ness of life, they are correctly named. But the real value of life is in its 

 enjoyment, and Avhatever of these changes have added to our happiness or 

 relieved us from any of life's evils, they are truly blessings. The question has 

 been raised whether we are capable of continued happiness, and whether each 

 one, whatever be his surroundings or the circumstances which affect him, does 

 not through life enjoy an equal average share of good and evil. Be this as it 

 may, the fact is patent, and will not be questioned, that good and evil are 

 mainly only relative qualities, and that what in life's occurrences arc evil or 

 good to one may be the reverse to another. It is not wise, however, to come to 

 the conclusion that life's enjoyments and blessings are not promoted by our 

 own exertions to produce them. We must admit tiiat certain eras in our lives 

 have been more satisfactory to ourselves than others have been. Our efforts 

 should, therefore, be to make the most of life, to weary the physical man less, 

 and to satisfy the mental man more. 



The question which I would here raise is whether the great changes which we 

 call improvements have added to our average of happiness, or more si)ecially 

 whether we have received the most good from tliem that they were capable of 



