HON. SAMUEL L. FULLER, 



FIRST PRESIDENT OF MICHIGAN STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



No part of Michigan has been more fortunate in the influence exerted for the 

 good of the state by its progressive public men, than the Grand river valley. 

 Prominent among the men whose influence has been widespread, blessing the 

 state^ is Samuel L. Fuller of the city of Grand Rapids. His eai'ly enlistment 

 in the cause of agriculture and horticulture, and his persistent and unceasing 

 efforts for their promotion and advancement have brought results that should 

 endear him to every lover of the best interests of the state. 



He signed the first call for a meeting to organize the State Horticultural society, 

 and was made chairman of the meeting. He was unceasing in his efforts to build 

 up the society and make it a power for good, his interest never flagging. He 

 gave oflice room for meetings and consultation. He seemed to see more clearly 

 than others the possibilities of horticulture in Michigan. He made a trip through 

 Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Daliotas, and on his return told the society to push 

 on the work of horticulture; that the great northwest was waiting and hungry for 

 Michigan fruit. His enthusiasm over the subject seemed to know no bounds. 

 He prophesied that the northwestern states would want all the choice fruit Michi- 

 gan could raise. He clearly saw the benefits which Michigan enjoyed by reason 

 of its being a peninsular state, and was sanguine in his belief that horticulture 

 in Michigan had a bright future. He was also an early worker in the Grand 

 River Horticultural society and in the West Michigan Farmers' club. He seemed 

 to be the life of both societies, attending all their meetings, acting oflacially most 

 of the time as president or secretary. He often expressed a wish to be relieved of 

 oflicial duties, but the members of the society said "No, we can not get along without 

 you; you are half of the meeting." He had a good and cheerful word for every 

 farmer and horticulturist he met. He was a warm friend of farmers' institutes, 

 and was one of the first to advocate an appropriation sufficient to hold at least one 

 meeting each year in every county in the state. 



Public spirited, yet he wanted no office for pecuniary gain. To benefit his 

 fellow- man in the field of labor was to him sufl5cient reward. 



Mr. Fuller came from that section of western New York made famous by the 

 first thorough work in tile draining, by the veteran farmer John Johnston. He 

 imbibed the vital importance of thoroughness and honesty in agricultural methods 

 which characterized all his later utterances. 



He was the pioneer in western Michigan in making and feeding ensilage. He 

 was not afraid of things because they were new or strange, and often said he 

 would be thankful if our judgment was right half the time. He believed earnestly 

 and heartily in the great value that would accrue from organization, and remarked 

 frequently that the fact that no two men believed exactly alike upon the same 

 matter was a strong argument in favor of any method which would bring them 



