PROCEEDINGS OF THE SUMMER MEETING. 



HELD AT AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, JUNE 26-27, 1895. 



Nothing was lacking to the success and pleasure of the meeting of the 

 Society at the Agricultural College, the 26th and 27th of June, except that 

 the attendance was very far from what it should have been. Still, consid- 

 ering the busy season with fruitgrowers, the number present was as 

 great as could have reasonably been expected. However, if the horticul- 

 turists of the state are ever to see this institution and understand by 

 observation the important work it is doing, they must on some such occa- 

 sion put aside their labor and go during the growing season. There was 

 a strong desire among those who did go, to have it tried over again next 

 year, in hope to interest a far greater number. 



The utmost care was exercised by the faculty to make the visit of the 

 horticulturists as pleasant as possible and productive of a thorough 

 insight into the efforts making for the advance of their particular branch 

 of agriculture. Certainly, none of the visitors could have failed to see 

 that horticulture, in is various branches, receives fully its share of atten- 

 tion. The evidences of this are at hand from the moment of entering 

 upon the grounds, for almost the first object is the pear orchard and many 

 groups of shrubbery and trees planted to enhance the beauty of the 

 grounds. Almost everywhere may be seen other forms of horticulture. 

 The great campus is adorned abundantly by aid of landscape gardening, 

 v/hile floriculture adds beauty at every hand. This campus, by the way, 

 is said, by those competent to pass judgment, to be the finest possessed 

 by any American college. Tt is improved noticeably each year, and was 

 at this time, despite the evidences of the long drouth, a place of entranc- 

 ing beauty. Upon it are nearly or quite all the trees native to Michigan, 

 \v Ith a very great number of those of foreign climes which are adaptable 

 to this state. Latterly, under direction of Prof. Taft, efforts have been 

 made to group together the species of each class, so as the better to enable 

 students to compare them and study their peculiarities and variations. 

 Most of the trees, shrubs, and flowers bear labels giving their botanical 

 names, to which are added, in most cases, the common names. This 

 enables even the unskilled in such matters to learn valuable lessons in 

 nature. 



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