SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 199 



existence even now and seem to work to the satisfaction of all concerned. 

 An appointed agent, chosen from among their own number, attends to the 

 buying of supplies — tools, fertilizers, groceries, etc. — as well as to the selling 

 of the members' products, makes arrangements with the railroads and express 

 companies for lowest rates, selling directly to the retailer, etc., hence 

 marketing cheaper and obtaining better prices. 



I am well aware that there are difficulties which often prevent the estab- 

 lishment and working of such unions ; but these difficulties are not unsur- 

 mountable. The subject is one of the utmost importance to every fruit 

 grower. I can only express the hope that it will be thoroughly discussed at 

 your meeting and that this discussion will bring us many valuable and prac- 

 tical suggestions. With best wishes for the success of the meeting, I remain. 



Yours respectfully, 



TlWSCO GrREHSTER, 



Editor Orchard and Garden* 



Thomas L. Brown, a successful market gardener of Grand Eapids, said : 

 If anyone should oppose the intensive system of horticulture, he would be- 

 an enemy of the soil, of his own pocket and of the welfare of the community 

 at large. A high system of gardening or farming is better in a thousand 

 ways than the cultivation of many acres at the expense of proper tillage. 

 I will not pretend to show the thousand superior ways to-night, but will sat- 

 isfy you better with the brevity of a few remarks in favor of a little farm 

 id ell tilled. 



In the first place it is our greatest safeguard against the attacks and 

 increase of insect life, and for this one reason should commend itself to all; 

 it is preferred because it enables us to take more from half the space, and few 

 men there are who oppose working five acres well when assured of the same 

 returns they would receive from ten done in the ordinary way. "We will 

 take one acre of a sandy-loarn nature, manured and plowed for potatoes ;; 

 there should be a good crop, but as the land is required for gardening pur- 

 poses it must be prepared rapidly. If early potatoes were planted they 

 would come off in time to manure the lot again and sow rye. This should 

 be done early so that the rye can make a large growth before winter. Dur- 

 ing the winter months we will manure it heavily again. In the spring it 

 will be no easy task to bury rye and manure; two men besides the plowman 

 are required to do the work. After it is plowed ashes or superphosphate 

 can be sown broadcast ; then harrow, and the lot is ready for cabbage, cauli- 

 flower, early corn, squashes, asparagus, and many other crops. This fair 

 condition of the soil has been brought about in one year; the acre has 

 received five dressings in thirteen months, besides growing a crop. What- 

 ever occupies the soil, the second year, should there be time, prepare again 

 the same as the previous year, plowing a little deeper each time. Three 

 years of such treatment, with good cultivation and disintegration of the 

 manure going on, aided by the rye roots, and we find tbe land rich enough 

 for onions. From now on lighter dressings will answer; expenses are less 

 and receipts are larger, showing plainly the necessity of capital and energy 

 during the first few years to handle the land properly and proving that 

 establishment for tillers of the soil is the only way to get the equivalent of 

 their labor. No man can afford to prepare land in the way I have mentioned 

 and allow weeds to grow; so the more he does to the soil to enrich it the 

 harder he will contend with the weeds that are so anxious to show what they 



