PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING. 191 



properly appreciate the needs and importance of other branches of 

 agriculture than that in which his own liking had schooled him. He 

 spoke of three principal candidates, Mr. Erigham of Ohio, Mr. DeYoung 

 of California, and JNIr. Hoard of Wisconsin. The appointment of the 

 former, Mr. Lyon thought improbable because of his residence in the 

 same state with the president, although selection of Mr. Brigham would 

 be satisfactory. 



Eemarks upon the subject were made by Mr. Hale and Mr. Garfield, 

 the latter recalling the inliuence Mr. DeYoung exercised against the 

 interests of all but California "horticulturists in connection with the 

 AVorld's Fair. The discussion ended in appointment of a committee and 

 adoption of a resolution. The committee consisted of Messrs. Lyon, 

 Monroe, and Garfield, who were instructed to confer with horticultural 

 societies in other states, and act in concert with them in selecting and 

 recommending an appointee who would have the best conception of the 

 importance of horticulture, and would see that it had its due share of 

 attention in the w^ork of the department. Subsequently the following 

 resolution was introduced and unanimously adopted: 



The Michigan Horticultural society, assembled in annual convention, having 

 appointed a committee consisting of President T. T. Lyon, C. J. Monroe, and Chas. 

 W. Garfield, charged with the duty of memorializing President-elect McKinley with 

 reference to the selection of a broad man for secretary of agriculture, who shall 

 adequately appreciate the large place that horticulture occupies in the agriculture 

 of the nation, desires to record its loj^alty to a man in the middle west whose 

 utterances, work, and influence have for years been on the side of progressive 

 agriculture, and who, while especially championing the great dairy interests, has 

 never neglected to acknowledge that horticulture is a leading factor in the evolution 

 of American agriculture; therefore. 



Resolved, That we heartily endorse the candidacy of Ex-Gov. Hoard of Wisconsin, 

 for the position of secretary of agriculture in the cabinet of the incoming adminis- 

 tration, 



A petition of fruitgrowers of St. Clair county was presented, reciting 

 the unequal conditions sustained by the fruitgroMers of the United 

 States, along the Canadian border, with relation to the tariff laws of 

 the two countries. While nursery stock and many kinds of fruit are 

 admitted to this country entirely free of duty or under a very small tariff, 

 Canada imposes heavy rates upon all such products. The result is that 

 American growers are largely excluded from Canadian markets, while 

 the markets of the United States are free to Canada. The manifest 

 unfairness of these conditions was discussed, and action taken by adop- 

 tion of the following resolution, submitted by the committee to whom the 

 petition had been referred: 



Resolved, That the secretary of the society address each of the Michigan repre- 

 sentatives in the United States senate and house of representatives, as follows: 

 The Michigan State Horticultural society, in its annual meeting, in Grand Rapids, 

 Dec. 2, 189G, respectfully calls your attention to the tariff laws regarding summer 

 fruits, vegetables, and nursery stock, whicli. as they now exist, allow these pro- 

 duets to be shipped into the United States from Canada duty free, while our own 

 gardeners and farmers are required to pay duty for sending such products into 

 Canada, amounting, in the case of berries, to two cents per pound, and corres- 

 pondingly large duties upon all other such fruits and nursery stock. We submit 

 that this is a hardship and a tax upon our people, from which they should be 



