340 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and responded by placina^ on exhibition some specimens of grapes sO' 

 preserved. 



Secretary Whitney gave his experience, and stated that in the matter 

 of butter he had saved at leat SlOO last season. He said he thought there 

 was a money value in it, and that Judge Eamsdell was intending to try it. 



Mr. MuNSON said that cold storage, where ice was used was a failure; 

 that was the experience of eastern buyers. He described a storage house 

 he was using; said that it was as cool as a cellar six feet deep. The 

 temperature in his storage house stood at 50" to 60" Fahrenheit. In his 

 opinion cold storage was a failure. 



Mr. J. L. Hopkins of South Haven said he had seen, within a few 

 weeks, a potato which had been kept in a hotel refrigerator for four years. 

 He described the refrigerator, and said that it seemed to work perfectly. 



A paper on " Good roads in marketing fruit," was read by Hon. S. S. 

 Bailey of East Paris. Every wagon load of sound fruit brought over 

 good roads and marketed by the grower is a wagon load of health. Every 

 bruise is an injury to the fruit and a loss to the grower. The loss sus- 

 tained by reason of bruised fruit at first sight seems to fall upon the 

 buyer. But this is not true. It is the grower who has to bear the loss by 

 reason of lessened prices. Hough roads invariably bruise to a greater or 

 less degree every load marketed. In order that all may get the benefit, we 

 must have better roads; not merely better roads, but the best roads that 

 ingenuity of man can devise. We want laws that will compel all who use 

 highways to contribute to their support. Men are not angels, and we 

 must take men as they are, and compel them to do that which they should 

 do without any compulsion. Good roads not only contribute to the general 

 welfare, but to the profit of all who have occasion to use them. The fruit- 

 grower, more than any other, profits by good roads, and we should leave 

 no work undone which will lead to the construction of smooth, hard 

 highways. 



D. W. Wiley agreed with the ideas advanced, and stated that the sub- 

 ject had lately been very broadly discussed and he thought much good 

 would come of it. He instanced Black county, Ohio, where there was not 

 a road but was macadamized; yet forty years ago the roads in that county 

 were almost impassable. One of the benefits noted there was that farm 

 lands had increased $2o per acre. 



Mr. Sessions also spoke briefly and favorably of improved roads. 



Mr. A. W. Slayton then read a petition addressed to the senate and 

 house of representatives in congress assembled, which he stated was now 

 being circulated extensively throughout the United States. The petition 

 asks that there be established a road department in connection with the 

 agricultural department, for the purpose of promoting knowledge in the art 

 of road-building. It also asks that a permanent exhibit be established at 

 the Columbian Exposition. 



Secretary Whitney said that Mason and Muskegon counties had already 

 moved in the matter and had a number of miles of graveled roads already 

 constructed. He then moved that the matter of legislation be referred to 

 the committee on resolutions; carried. 



A recess of fifteen minutes then intervened. After thf recess Judge 

 Russell was called to the chair while President Lannin of South Haven 

 read a paper on '' The commercial pear orchard — what soil to choose, what 

 Tarieties to plant, and how to cultivate." Mr. Lannin stated that, owing 

 to ill health, he had not prepared a paper but thought he knew enough of 



