REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 337 



BENZIE COUNTY HORTICULTRAL SOCIETY. 



OFFICERS FOR 1886. 



President — J. J. Hubbell, Benzonia. 

 Secretary — J. W. Van Deman, Benzonia. 

 Treasurer — A. G. Butler, Frankfort. 



The following newspaper account was sent in by the secretary: 



The Benzie County Horticultural Society met in Case's hall in Benzonia, on 

 Saturday evening, Sept. 18, 1886. Geo. W. Jones was called to the chair. 

 The secretary made a report of his trip to the State fair the previous week 

 where he took two prizes for fruit from Benzie county orchards. The chair- 

 man then introduced Mr. Henry E. Vandeman, of Washington, D. C, pomol- 

 ogist to the U. S. department of agriculture, who gave an outline of his work 

 in advancing the interests of pomology in the United States. He has seen in 

 this State during the month of September, principally from the Grand Traverse 

 region and the fruit belt on the east shore of Lake Michigan, a finer showing 

 of plums at fairs and on the trees, than anywhere else he has been in the country. 

 The plums of California do not excel those of Benzie county in quality. 



The society met at Averill's hall in Frankfort, on Monday evening, Sept. 

 27,1886. On account of rain there was not a large attendance, nor a large 

 show of fruit. A. G. Butler was elected chairman. The secretary's account 

 of the success of Benzie county fruit at the State fair was enthusiastically re- 

 ceived by the audience. 



Fruit growing is only beginning here. When we again go abroad with fruit, 

 with more time and help to get ready, we know we can do still better at show- 

 ing our fellow citizens of the State of Michigan, that Benzie county produces 

 good fruit. Some fine decorations and specimens of fruit were exhibited, but 

 not in sufficient quantity for competition for premiums. 



The society listened with interest to the account of the work of the pomol- 

 ogist of the United States, who wishes all the information he can obtain in 

 addition to his own careful observations of trees and fruit locations and soil. 



A successful meeting was held in the school-house in district No. 1, in Joy- 

 field, on Tuesday evening, Sept. 28, 1886, Vice President D. E. Van Amburg, 

 presiding. The discussion was interesting and instructive. There was a good 

 showing of fruit and while the awarding committee — Mrs. Thos. Smeltzer, Miss 

 Mary E. Smeltzer, and the secretary — were at their work, the United States 

 pomologist, H. £. Vandeman, gave, in addition to his address, some description 

 of the oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits of Florida and California. The 

 committee made awards as follows: 



For best display of fruit, 1st premium, D. E. Van Amburg; 2d, Abel M. 

 Smeltzer; 3d, James Eice. 



On motion it was resolved to hold the annual meeting at Benzonia in De- 

 cember. 



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