58 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



plants in rows three feet apart and fifteen inches to the row ; a greater distance 

 would doubtless give larger plants. He grows 10,000 cauliflowers each year, 

 manures heavil3\, adding 100 pounds of muriate of potash to the acre; procures 

 all his seed from Italy, and is sure there is no good seed raised here. 



Your committee heartily endorses the sentiments of Mr. Davenport^s excel- 

 lent paper. 



J. P. THOMPSON, 

 AV. J. BEAL, 

 E. F. GUILD. 



Following this report, the secretary announced the last topic for discus- 

 sion as : 



LEGISLATION FOR FEUIT INTERESTS. 



What can be done by legislation to aid in the development of Michigan fruit 

 growing!-' 



J. P. Thompson of Detroit was called upon to open the discussion, and 

 remarked substantially as follows: I had not expected to speak upon this 

 question. Thus far Michigan fruit-growers, and especially this society, have 

 received very little at the hands of legislation. The society was incorporated, 

 its reports published, and at its recommendation a law passed of local effect con- 

 cerning the yellows. This covers about the whole ground. I do not believe 

 in asking for money at the hands of the state. The society has gone through 

 so far admirably without any aid of this kind, and the people who are especi- 

 ally interested in its welfare, who are reaping the benefits of its work, will con- 

 tinue to support the enterprise. There is some talk of increasing the number 

 of the reports published. I even doubt the expediency of this. "We do not 

 want to issue a volume for every man in the state, but simply for those who 

 will use them properly. They are books of reference of a high character, and 

 for that purpose it seems to me we have about enough. 



Mr. Lvon. — I somewhat doubt the wisdom of asking for more volumes unless 

 means are given us to aid in their distribution. A large increase in their num- 

 ber with no such ])rovision would bankrupt the society. 



Mr. Saunders, Detroit. — The fruit interests already receive indirect appro- 

 priations from those given to the Agricultural College, and my own conviction 

 is that this is the very best way of getting the benefit of legislative appropri- 

 ation. 



Prof. Beal spoke of the building that they proposed erecting at the college 

 the coming year, if the legislature sanction it, for the purpose of storing a 

 horticultural and botanical museum. 



Secretary E. G. Baird. — The work of this society is largely a labor of love. 

 From the beginning its members have been accomplishing a great deal for 

 Michigan fruit-growing, because of their interest in the work. Tiiey enjoy 

 seeing the peculiarities of Michigan climate and soil made the most of for 

 horticulture, and are repaid for work done in tlie results of its accomplish- 

 ment. The work done by this society and the Agricultural college for the 

 centennial exhibition are examples in relief, of this kind of labor. I am in 

 favor of an addition to the number of reports published. They are doing a 

 good deal of good, and there are large numbers of our state's people who want 

 them a!}d would be benefited by them, who can not now be sujiplied. As 

 regards statistical matters there is certainly a lack of information that would 

 be of great value, and my thought concerning it is that this society select a 



