233 STATE rOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



MUTUAE EELATIOXS OF XURSEltYMEX AXD FKUIT-GEOWER. 



Mr. G, A. LaFleur, of Allegan, opened by saying: When one attempts to 

 speak to the public upon a question of vital importance to those whom he ad- 

 dresses, and especially when the subject involves so great an interest as this 

 one does, reaching to and effecting for good or ill, so many of our most intel- 

 ligent citizens, it is but natural to feel an inability to do it with satisfaction to 

 his hearers and credit to himself. 



Few subjects connected with pomology involve more pecuniary interest than 

 this one. What I may say upon it is intended to include the proj^agator as 

 well as the planter and fruit grower ; for one fills as important a place and 

 performs as necessary a part to bring about the desired results as the other. 

 And each may or may not fulfill all of the requirements necessary to produce 

 good and satisfactory results. I need not here explain the perplexities and 

 disappointments connected with the nursery interests, for you already know 

 too much about it from personal expedience. In all of the commercial and 

 industrial relations of men, no one class, profession or craft, is or can be inde- 

 pendent of the other; justice and a common interest require that each should 

 faithfully perform the duties that fall to his lot. 



Wherever men associate tliemselves together in civilized communities, and 

 conduct the common business transactions connected with trade and industry; 

 and where the highest attainments are reached, there we find the greatest 

 amount of confidence reposed in each other. And that confidence is never 

 attained or maintained unless men prove themselves worthy of it, and this 

 comes only from a conscientious discharge of our relations and duties to each 

 other; a failure on the part of one, may bring disaster and ruin upon the 

 others. 



Whenever any class of men attempt to build up a business of great magni- 

 tude which is to rank high and enter into the commerce of the world, success 

 depends largely upon the correctness of the principles adopted as the basis 

 of operations. 



Years ago men commenced to build up a business in this State, which has 

 grown to a great magnitude, and already furnishes employment to a large 

 number of men, women and children ; that business, is the growing and 

 marketing of fruit. AVhatever of progress has been made and success followed, 

 or failures and losses resulted, may fairly be attributed to the degree of faith- 

 fulness with which all parties have carried out their part of the duties con- 

 nected with it. Now in the nature of things it cannot be expected that each 

 man engaged in this enterprise, can himself control or perform all of the 

 labor necessarily belonging to it. Some one must grow the tree and bring it 

 into condition for the planter or fruit-grower; another man must plant it out, 

 cultivate, and gather the fruit; the common carrier must convey it from the 

 producer to the consumer; the commercial man must deal it out to his cus- 

 tomers, the consumer must buy and pay for it. He expects value received for 

 his money, and if all parties connected with it are faithful from the time the 

 tree grew out of the ground, he will not be disappointed. But if somebody has 

 made a mistake or acted dishonestlv, or some accident has happened to destroy 

 the proper and natural character of the fruit, then the consumer will bo 

 disappointed and defrauded. 



Now, we see that there are three parties directly interested in this matter; 

 the nurseryman, the fruit-grower and the consumer; each one is dependent 



