38 STATE HORTICULTLTIAL SOCIETY. 



length upon the great advantages the present generation has over its pred- 

 ecessors in point of educational facilities and a thousand other provisions 

 for their information, refinement, and comfort. Fruitgrowing, he said, is 

 now a suct>^ss largely because of scientific development; and he urged 

 unity of action to secure legislative aid for advancement of agriculture 

 and horticulture. 



The next speaker was Mr. A. M. Smith of St. Catherines, Ont, ex-presi- 

 dent of the Ontario Fruitgrowers' association. Ontario, he said, has the 

 largest horticultural society in America; and we believe that, while Michi- 

 gan beats us in peaches, we may with truth claim to be the best region in 

 the world for apples. Ontario used to be regarded as hopeless as a horti- 

 cultural region, but now the greater portion of the province grows fruit. 

 They made a successful show at the Columbian Exposition. For their 

 inspiration and growth in pomology they owe much to the societies of 

 Michigan and Western New York. Mr. Smith extended an invitation to 

 the fruitgrowers of both these societies to attend a great demonstration at 

 Grimsby Park — a two days meeting in connection with a farmers' institute, 

 to occur at some date in June. 



Judge Mitchell of Port Huron said he had been for many years inter- 

 ested in agriculture and horticulture and had kept in mind their advance 

 in Michigan. The unoccupied lands spoken of by one speaker, are the 

 key to our situation. Years ago, "" the thumb" was out of reach of the 

 improvement of the state, having no railways. We had only the pine and 

 the lumberman; and when the lumberman leaves a region he is worse than 

 fire and desolation. But gradually there were beginnings of agriculture, 

 and later the people began to talk about fruit. Judge Mitchell highly 

 complimented Mr. L. B. Rice as the pioneer in horticulture in this region, 

 and thanked him for bringing the State society to Port Huron. " These 

 lands,"' he continued, " are producing the finest of apples, pears, and plums 

 and small fruits; and there is considerable advantage here from the lakes, 

 though the springs are late."' He thanked the society for this visit, and 

 expressed a hope that it would do something to help the really fine country 

 further up the Huron shore. 



Mr. E. MoEEiLL of Benton Harbor said the society was to be congrat- 

 ulated, not commended, for going to Port Huron, and he recited the many 

 pleasant features of the meeting. "'If we can not gain some information 

 from you, we will have largely failed in the object of our coming. A man 

 once said to me, 'You horticulturists have peculiar ideas; they are not 

 business; you expose all your secrets.' So it is, and 'tis remarkable. 

 Thoroughbred horticulturists are not clams — they do not shut themselves 

 up when you approach them. They are not the wealthiest class of farmers. 



