166 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



the support of his family, he is apt to make the observations that will be of 

 the most practical assistance. The new methods of lighting insects and 

 accomplishing qu'ckly the operations in fruit-growing, are usually originated 

 as a result of observation on the part of men wlio are to be the most benefited 

 by the improvement. The trouble is that a majority of us do not do half as 

 well as we know. The difficulty lies in the fact that we do not confine our 

 observations to a sufficiently limited territory; we spread over too much 

 ground and are too indefinite in our purposes. As I look back in my own 

 experience, this has been emphatically the case.'" 



Following this discussion President Lyon gave a short paper of 



SUGGESTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOCIETY. 



To tliG Michigan State Pomological Society: 



In opening the last session of the society for the term of oflice to which 

 your partiality elected me, it seems appropriate that some review should be 

 taken of the operatioiis of the past year, and from them some suggestions be 

 deducted bearing upon our labors as a society for the year next to ensue. So 

 far as the financial and business operations of the past year are concerned, 

 they may be expected to appear in the reports of the several officers and com- 

 mittees. I may therefore confine myself to the general scope of our opera- 

 tions ; and to incidental matters aside from those indicated. During the past 

 two seasons, covering two annual fairs, the society has been engaged in 

 evolving and maturing a system of premiums of a somewhat novel character ; 

 aiming (without diminution of the interest of the exhibition), to render it more 

 decidedly educational, by eliciting through the exhibits, some idea of the 

 value [)uL upon each variety by the exhibitor, and also through the awards and 

 reports gjiining a similar conception of their values in the estimation of com- 

 mittees. Inasmuch as steps must be at once taken looking to the arrange- 

 ments for next year's exliibition, the present is an o})portune period for the 

 criticism of this system, with a view to such changes as may seem needful for 

 its more satisfactory and successful working in the future. The past year has 

 al<o witnessed tlie first issue of the society's catalogue of fruits, which has 

 now been before the public long enough to have developed such objections as 

 may be found to lie against it. Inastnuch as it is the purpose of the society to 

 revise and republish it, with each annual volume of its Transactions; and in 

 consideration of the fact that its value njust consist greatly, first in the cor- 

 rectness, and second, in the fixity of the matter contained in it; it becomes of 

 the highest im|)ortance tliat, if there are any changes to be made in its gen- 

 eral plan, the will of the society respecting them, be expressed, at once and 

 unmistakably; that the committees on revision may take form accordingly. 

 It will be observed that it embraces many fruits, more or less grown in the 

 State of but little value, and the catalogue attempts to discourage the farther 

 ])lanting of such, by the low values given to each, and by also stating the ob- 

 jectiuns tu them in the column of remarks. Occasional criticisms, through 

 the i)ress and otherwise, leave a possible doubt as to the approval of this fea- 

 ture of the catalogue ; hence we suggest that the society take the requisite action 

 to settle tlie doubt at once and permanenily. 



The number of volumes of tlie Transactions, placed at the disposal of the 

 society, is by no means adequate to the demand; and in view of this fact, and 

 of the very much larger demand for the catalogue, the society last year 



