PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING. 225. 



these courses the instruction will be strictly along practical lines, and 

 will include the sciences that have a bearing upon the general subject. 

 The expenses will be very small, and many young men who expect to 

 follow agriculture or horticulture have arranged to take them. No 

 entrance examination will be required, and the instruction will be such 

 as will require no previous preparation. 



Some five years ago the Michigan Agricultural college established for 

 the benefit of the farmers of the state a course of home reading along 

 various lines, such as field crops, livestock husbandry, orchard and gar- 

 <ien, domestic economy, and civil government. Any one can read in any 

 or all of the lines, and the only expense will be for the books. The college 

 has mapped out the course of reading, arranged for the purchase of 

 the books at reduced rates, and Avhen the reading of the books of a certain 

 course has been completed, and satisfactory examination papers have 

 been submitted, gives a certificate to that effect. Unless one desires the 

 certificate no examination is required. 



The Michigan state experiment station from time to time issues bulle- 

 tins of interest to horticulturists, which are mailed to anyone desiring 

 them. Not only do they give the results obtained at the Agricultural 

 college and at the sub-station at South Haven, but they are based upon 

 the reports received from nearly one hundred persons who are aiding in 

 the work. The station receives annually hundreds of letters of inquiry 

 upon various topics, and in arranging the work an endeavor is made 

 to carry out experiments in these lines, if necessary, and to include in the 

 bulletins such information as is most generally called for. 



The Michigan State Horticultural society holds three or four meetings 

 each year in different parts of the state, and by attending its sessions 

 one can obtain many practical points from our leading gardeners and 

 fruitgrowers that can not fail to be of value. In many counties there are 

 flourishing auxiliary societies that hold frequent meetings, and much 

 good can be obtained by attending them. 



The state board of agriculture each year holds a farmers' institute in 

 each county, at which, in addition to topics of general interest, one or 

 more papers are presented that relate to horticulture. Last year a fruit 

 institute, conducted much the same as a college class, and lasting four 

 ■days, was held at South Haven, and this year there will be a similar one 

 at Shelby. The reports of this society and many of the papers read at 

 farmers' institutes are printed and distributed, thus forming a perma- 

 nent record for reference. 



Among other sources of information that should not be overlooked 

 are various horticultural books and periodicals. Many of the former 

 are somewhat out of date, but each year several are published that have 

 been brought well up to the time of publication. As a rule the writers 

 are well-known specialists, and they have combined in their books their 

 own experience and the facts that they have been able to draw from the 

 experience of others. 



In the way of weekly and monthly periodicals, every branch of horti- 

 culture has several that are worthy of support. The ideas obtained from 

 them, as compared with those from books, have the advantage of being 

 fresh, and as they keep us informed regarding the methods used by the 



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