DECEMBER MEETING. 281 



The time was ii good one for people from abroad to visit South Haven and see 

 the strawberries and raspberries, and the promise of peaches ; but it was a very 

 busy time for the pco]ile at that phicc, for with the picking and shipping of 

 berries and the thinning of peaches, there was very little time to listen to 

 speeches or discussions. However, there was a fair attendance from abroad and 

 a considerable delegation from the immediate vicinity. One feature of this 

 meeting was altogether new, and was an admirable one, to wit: Questions for 

 discussion were announced some weeks previous to the meeting, and certain 

 persons selected to lead in the discussions. With a little preparation and an 

 exact time for the topics to be brought u}) they were ably handled, and created 

 a good deal of interest. 



It is my own impression that in future this idea must be more largely devel- 

 oped, in so much that the discussions upon topics of the time shall be the lead- 

 ing feature of our quarterly meetings, — a broader field of experience is thus 

 brought to bear upon important questions, and we get at valuable empirical 

 knowledge from men who would never tliink of writing a paper or delivering 

 an address. The exhibition of strawberries at this meeting was wonderfully 

 fine, — rarely are so many valuable varieties shown together in such quantity, 

 and of so fine samples. 



Altogether the June meeting was very much of a success, and will rank in 

 the history of the Society as one of the most instructive sessions ever convened. 



' THE STATE FAIR. 



As early as the June meeting it was very evident that the tipple crop of Mich- 

 igan would be very limited, and the promise of our usual show of fine fruit at 

 the State fair could not be made. From all quarters of the State came the same 

 information, *'No apples." This note was sounded so long and loud that the 

 managers of the State exposition began to use it as an incentive to greater effort 

 in the other departments. They said : "Let the fruit growers do the best they 

 oan and there will be a meager exhibit in Pomological Hall, so we must make 

 up in the other divisions by increasing our exhibition." This probably was an 

 excellent method well employed, for as a result every department of the exposi- 

 tion was filled as never before, and the fruit growers were also aroused to do 

 their level best. By dint of a good deal of correspondence, newspaper work, 

 .and circulars sent out both by the Secretary and Superintendent Keynolds of 

 Pomological Hall, our people came out with enough fruit to overflow the hall. 



Our good friend, Manning of Paw Paw, who had charge of Farm Products, 

 and was crowded to the wall with material, was very skeptical about our requir- 

 ing all the room assigned us, found we overflowed into his liall; but, thanks to 

 his courtesy, it was received with good feeling. His remark at the close of the 

 fair was characteristic of him and truthful of our people : "You Pomological 

 fellows, when stirred up, can beat the world if you have to resurrect fruit in 

 order to do it." 



Tiicre is just one point on which our fruit men fail to equal the exhibitors in 

 other departments. They do not make their entries early enough to enable tlie 

 officers in charge to predict how much room will be needed, and no definite 

 plan of the exhibit can be carefully made before hand. If all the leading 

 exhibitors would indicate a week before the Fair the number of plates they 

 would require, the space could be so arranged in the Hall as so agree exactly 

 with the arrangement of the premium list, and the exact position of every 

 • division could be determined in advance, and placards put in place. 

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