198 state' horticultural society. 



the summer, and particularly this summer trying to save a little out of 

 a great deal, and so there have been but few meetings of the local 

 societies, and the}- do not seem as yet to have revived ver}' much. It is 

 presumed that they will, however, as the season's work is through, and I 

 know no reason why they should not be as vigorous and interesting the 

 coming winter as ever. 



There was this season a particularly large fruit crop. There seems 

 not to have been a fruit tree nor bush nor vine nor plant but did its 

 utmost to provide a full crop, and as a rule the crop was of good quality. 

 How it sold we are all too painfully aware. The result of that has been 

 a check to the selling of nursery stock, as I have been informed by 

 nurserymen, and I know that the feeling among growers is not as it was 

 one year ago at this time — a disposition to plant to the uttermost their 

 entire capacity of land. Whether this is on the whole advisable and 

 desirable is a question that would awaken discussion in this meet- 

 ing, and a very distinct variety of views. There are horticulturists 

 who would like to see horticulture restricted, and who think if we pro- 

 duced one half as much as we do produce in any one line it would be 

 very much better for the grower. Perhaps that would be true in a narrow 

 and selfish sense, but it would not be true, as many of you would main- 

 tain, so far as the general benefit to the public is concerned; and ulti- 

 mately, whether it would be to the grower is another interesting question. 



At any rate, we have produced this year a great deal more than we 

 could sell to advantage, and there has arisen as never before a demand 

 for some system of distribution of this product, which is the first question 

 brought on in this programine. It was brought on first largely because 

 it seemed to me it was one of prime importance, because there are so 

 many things that can be done, and because in this vicinity there is the 

 only successful effort at co-operation with regard to the shipment of fruit 

 and its distribution, and with better results than can be pointed to in 

 any other portion of the state. There have been frequent efforts in this 

 line, notably once at Ann Arbor, and I think at Benton Harbor and St. 

 Joseph, and in a very limited degree it has been attempted in my own 

 county of Allegan, but at no place with the success of the Grand Kapids 

 Fruitgrowers' association, of which we shall hear more when this topic 

 comes up. 



I chanced to receive yesterday a letter from a friend in Kansas 

 City, Missouri, throwing some light upon this subject, and you will 

 pardon me if I read an extract from it. He is a gentleman who formerly 

 resided in Allegan, and misses very seriously the delightful supply of 

 fruit in Michigan, and he seems to be longing for ''the flesh pots of 

 Egypt," if I may so term it. Having noticed in my paper that we were to 

 hold a meeting here, he said he was ininded to write me in this way: 

 "Allegan has been mentioned more than once by Mrs. Lipper and myself 

 this summer, when pricing and buying fruit and celery. Only the rich 

 can afford this luxury here, heading about your state horticultural 

 meeting, the idea suggested itself, if the peach-growers could combine, 

 get low freight rates, have a responsible agent here to handle their fruit, 

 this ought to be a good market. Fairly good fruit (peaches) sold for $2 

 per bushel, and in small quantities at the stalls and stands two for five 



