TWENTY FIRST ANNUAL MEETING. 25 



1890. It was planned to hold a summer meeting at Port Huron, the date 

 thereof being left uncertain and contingent upon the opening of the rail- 

 way tunnel. This was at the request of the local committee. It was 

 believed that the opening would occur early in June; but by that time it 

 was as indefinite as ever, and it was determined to wait until after wheat 

 harvest was over. Then it was found none of our " old reliables " could be 

 present to enlighten the beginners in fruit culture, and enlightenment was 

 what they wanted of us. The series of failures was completed by indefi- 

 nate postponement on account of the nearing time of this meeting. 



One year ago it was determined that the society should return to the 

 plan of auxiliary membership of local societies, and your president and 

 secretary were appointed a committee to carry the plan into effect. But 

 this was based upon the new scheme of the national department of agri- 

 culture for supplying us with its publicatious, and receiving from us such 

 information as might be desired concerning Michigan horticulture. As all 

 this was still in an indefinite state, and has so remained until recently, 

 nothing could be done. Now, however, we know precisely what the 

 department has to offer and wishes to receive, and with the aid of the new 

 standing committee upon auxiliary organizations, the matter will be 

 immediately acted upon. 



Including a balance of $253.65 on hand one year ago, the receipts of the 

 treasury were $420.65 during this year. The expenditures were $229.67, 

 and the balance now on hand is $190.98. The expenditures are by classes 

 as follows : 



Librarian's salary $50 00 



Expenses of executive board 31 55 



Express charges on exchanges 20 35 



Printing 28 25 



Secretary's postage 23 47 



President's office expenses 6 25 



Telegrams and express charges 9 30 



Expenses of treasurer's office 1 40 



Proceedings (for illustrations, etc.) 14 10 



Expenses of quarterly meetings 35 79 



$229 67 

 Thus our disbursements have not greatly outrun our receipts and the 

 year closes with a substantial balance in the treasury. 



In point of fruitfulness of orchards, vineyards, and fields, the year has 

 been one of excess, with the exception of apples. The crop of this fruit 

 was even less than that of last year but did not sell at as high prices, owing 

 to better crops elsewhere ; yet the market rate was such as to make growers 

 grieve that their supply was so short. In everything else the yield was 

 enormous, but there was demand for it all at prices either satisfactory on 

 the whole or highly profitable to the grower. Various estimates have 

 been made of the total value of the fruit produced and sold from the 

 counties of the western lake shore. One of these is that the crop of 

 Berrien, Allegan, Van Buren, and Ottawa, sold for $3,300,000. This has 

 no basis of actual shipments from any point, and I am inclined to think 

 it excessive; yet, as Allegan county is known to have nearly or quite 1,000,- 

 000 peach trees of bearing age, the claim that that county shipped $1,000,- 

 000 worth of peaches seems to have some foundation. Perhaps with the 

 product of Muskegon, Oceana, and Mason counties added, an estimate of 

 $3,000,000 as the value of the fruit crop of the lake shore would be 

 reasonable. 



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