TWENTY FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING. 



HELD AT ADRIAN, DECEMBER 3, 4, AND 5, 1895. 



The twenty fifth annual meeting of the Michigan State Horticultural 

 Society was held in Adrian, December 3, 4, and 5, occupying three full 

 days and evenings. It was held in the large and comfortable room of the 

 Lenawee circuit court, which was at all times well filled, and sometimes 

 crowded, with deeply interested auditors and participants. The local 

 attendance was not quite as it should have been, but this was compen- 

 sated for by the very large number of fruitgrowers from about the state, 

 as well as from each of the neighboring states of New York, Ohio, Indi- 

 ana, and Illinois. Many of these gentlemen, some of them familiar with 

 such meetings in other states, pronounced this one among the very best 

 of their experience. In all respects the occasion was one of rare pleasure 

 to the participants, nothing occurring to make the least dissatisfaction 

 in any respect. 



There was, the lateness of the season considered, a large display of 

 apples, pears, grapes, a few other fruits, with vegetables and some grains. 

 Most of these were offered in competition for the society's premiums, but 

 some were furnished solely for sake of instruction. The same was true 

 of flowers, chiefly of chrysanthemums. Prof. Taft brought some of these, 

 with roses, orchids, and others, from the houses of Michigan Agricultural 

 College, but the chrysanthemums were mainly from the establishment of 

 Nathan Smith & Son, of which Mr. Elmer D. Smith is the manager. The 

 flowers of this kind, from each place, were of high merit, but those of Mr. 

 Smith, having been grown to secure the highest development, were of 

 surpassing size and perfection. The lateness of the season prevented 

 Mr. Smith from showing more than about twenty varieties from among 

 the many he produces. His "crop" this year was between 14,000 and 

 15,000 blooms, all but a couple hundred of which had been disposed of. 

 The firm is one of the largest producers of chrysanthemums in the 

 country. They have produced nine of the thirty-two varieties originated 

 in this country, this having been done, of course, by cross-fertilization. 

 They have won many first prizes at the flower shows in the United States, 

 this fall, and hope to make still greater achievements in the future. They 

 also are engaged in originating new carnations, as well as growing 

 these flowers for the market. 



