PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING. 207 



plant that he does not know to be true to the best of his knowledge and 

 belief, and that, too, of a knowledge and belief founded upon careful 

 personal observation and painstaking investigation and experiment. His 

 name and fame will ever be held in high esteem by this society, and his 

 work and writing better appreciated as better known and understood. 

 It is a great pleasure to have him with us here on this twenty-fifth anni- 

 versary of our society which he has honored by giving it some of the best 

 years of his life. 



Although left out of the pictures tonight, by the natural modesty of 

 our photographer, the consensus of opinion of the members of this 

 society will place beside Ex-President Lyon the gentleman who for years 

 was so intimately connected with him by official relations. It is seldom 

 that two strong men are joined in work whose thoughts, views, and 

 ways run so nearlj^ parallel, whose tastes and habits are so congenial 

 that a comradship grows up between them as tender and as loving as 

 that between a father and son. I am sure I echo the sentiments of this 

 society when I remind you that what was said of Mr. Lyon applies in 

 the main equally well to our host. A rehearsing of the good words and 

 works of this society necessarily includes him as one of its chief actors. 

 His services in this society, coupled with those of the local society, have 

 had much to do with the marvelous development of the horticultural 

 interests of the state and of Grand Kapids and vicinity. Recalling the 

 pioneer work, the establishing of local societies widely scattered over 

 the state; the obtaining of reports from them which had to be carefully 

 revised, the correcting of essays, often so deftly done that the writer 

 was encouraged to further effort after seeing how well his production 

 read in print; the extensive correspondence required to encourage and 

 build up these branch societies, urging the sending in of reports on the 

 discussion of the practical work of the orchard, vineyard, or garden; 

 his frequent talks on fruits, flowers, forestry, and kindred topics — and 

 here I wish to digress a moment and specially emphasize the fact that 

 he has ever been ready with voice and pen to protest against the whole- 

 sale devastation of Michigan's grandest inheritance, its forests, which 

 have been so wantonly and wickedly destroyed by culling out the most 

 valuable, and leaving the rest in condition to invite wind and fire for its 

 utter annihilation, stripping the country of that which was best calcu- 

 lated to assist in clearing the land, erecting buildings, and making sub- 

 stantial improvements in the locality (how little is left to the state for the 

 ruin of its forests!); in his lectures in other states; his work in farmers' 

 institutes; his writings for newspapers, agricultural and horticultural 

 journals and magazines, with many other duties, taking his time, you 

 have a glimpse of a wonderfully busy life, all of this demonstrating his 

 command over himself and his ability to make the most of his time in 

 turning off a marvelous amount of work. Read his writings and 

 speeches, and the central thought running through it all is an earnest 

 plea for a higher plane of living and a loftier elevation of thinking. I 

 deem it extremely fortunate, on this twenty-fifth anniversary, that we 

 have with us the gentleman who for years occupied the ])osition of 

 secretary of this society and who in such eloquent terms has welcomed us 

 to this city. It is hardly necessary to name him. (Applause.) 



