PROCEEDINGS OF THE SUMMER MEETING. 



HELD IN ST. JOSEPH, JUNE 10, 11, 12, 1S96. 



Ouly in respect of attendance was the midsummer meeting of the 

 society, at St. Joseph, the 10th to 12th of June, anything but the suc- 

 cessful occasion which it was hoped it would be. This was no doubt due 

 to the exceptionally early season bringing on the press of work in the 

 berry fields earlier than was anticipated. Otherwise the meeting was 

 in many respects one of the best the society has recently held. 



The first evening was devoted to the discussion of a few questions from 

 those in the programme, and to the address of welcome and response 

 thereto, the former being made by Mr. N. A. Hamilton of Niles and the 

 latter by Secretary Reid. 



Considerable exhibits were made of strawberries and cherries, but 

 the lateness of the season for the former made the entries much smaller 

 than they otherwise would have been. Cherries were in abundant supply 

 and of highest quality, and there were many samples of green fruits — 

 peaches, pears, plums, currants, gooseberries, etc., all having some inter- 

 esting quality. 



St. Joseph is a delightful place for any sort of meeting in the summer 

 time. The town itself is an exceptionally handsome one in many respects 

 other than its truly magnificent lake front, the streets being clean and 

 well shaded, the lawns for the most part neatly kept, many of the resi- 

 dences handsome, the business portion paved, the stores up to date in 

 stocks and appurtenances, the newspapers enterprising and newsy, the 

 hotels admirably kept, especially hotel Whitcomb, which was society 

 headquarters; and, above all, the people intelligent, fraternal, and hospit- 

 able to a degree which leaves to their guests nothing to be desired, and 

 imbues them with a feeling of inability ever to adequately return the 

 courtesy and kindness which they meet at every hand. Certainly the 

 horticulturists left the city with only the pleasantest recollections of 

 their too brief enjoyment. The most striking feature of the town is the 

 high bluif overlooking lake Michigan, along which a considerable dis- 

 tance is a walk through a narrow but well-kept park, affording delight- 

 ful and inspiring views of the lake, an object of never-ceasing interest 

 to every visitor. The pleasures of this promenade were enjoyed by the 

 fruitgrowers to their limit, and recollection of it will linger long in 

 memory. 



