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REPORTS OF DISTRICT AND LOCAL SOCIETIES. 505 



Resohied, That we shall long treasure in memory this meeting and visit to Mason 

 county, and often with pleasure and profit recall the lessons learned and enjoyment had 

 while at this session of our society. May the blessings of health and abundance ever 

 be yours. 



The report was unanimously adopted. Under unfinished business the 

 question of "how to detect yellows in the peach" was asked and 

 answered by those having experience in the southern part of the state. 

 The president gave some excellent words of advice to those present in 

 regard to the care of the growing orchards, the preservation of the protect- 

 ing timber, that they might not have the sad experience of many in the 

 . older portions of the state. Then came adjournment, hand-shaking, and 

 good-byes, and the guests departed to their homes, feeling that they had 

 had a most pleasant and profitable time. 



THE ANNUAL MEETING. 



The seventh annual meeting of the West Michigan Fruitgrowers' society 

 was held at Grange hall, Ganges, Allegan county, Dec. 17-19 and was very 

 largely attended by the local growers as well as by those living all along 

 the "belt" from Benton Harbor to Oceana county. There was a fine dis- 

 play of apples, some sixty-seven plates and baskets being on the table, as 

 well as a few pears and Salway peaches. The president of the local society, 

 Hon. D. W. Wiley, and Secretary O. S. Bush, as well as many of the 

 members, were very efficient in caring for the guests from a distance, and 

 ■ the ladies came in for a good share of praise for the abundantly supplied, 

 nicely arranged, and neatly served tables at the dinner, of which about 175 

 partook. The local choir enlivened the occasion by music and song which 

 was greatly appreciated. Ganges is the center of the Allegan fruit belt, 

 and the numerous orchards, fine residences, and the thrifty appearance of 

 the country show a well-to-do and enterprising people. It was reported 

 that about 4,000,000 packages of peaches were shipped, realizing about 

 $1,000,000. 



The meeting was called to order by President Lannin and after invoca- 

 tion by Rev. Mr. Kitchen, an address of welome was made by Hon. D. W. 

 Wiley and a response by President Lannin. The annual address of Presi- 

 dent Lannin was a well-delivered speech in which he discussed the neces- 

 sity of fruitgrowers' societies and the bringing before each society the 

 matters pertaining to the section in which the meetings are held. We as 

 a fruitgrowers' society keep strictly to the business of fruitgrowing ; and 

 while we have gained considerable knowledge, we have yet to learn many 

 things. Nature has yet many secrets locked up in her storehouse. The 

 World's Fair was alluded to with a promise of having the subject thor- 

 oughly discussed, and he spoke of the necessity of all societies working 

 unitedly to make the exhibit of fruitgrowing in Michigan a success. 



In his report the secretary said the society had a successful and valuable 

 meeting in the summer, and he hoped to improve in each meeting. Receipts 

 of June meeting were $15.65 ; paid out at that time $12.90, and for this 

 meeting $7 ; balance, minus, $4.25. 



Committees were thus constituted : 



On Fruit — W. A. Brown, A. Adams, A. S. Packard. 



On resolutions — F. J. Russell, Walter Phillips, J. A. Pearce. 



The topic, "Success and failure of fruitgrowing in 1891, and the les- 

 sons taught thereby," was taken up. 



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