138 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



before this is accomplished for there remains yet a great deal to be 

 learned. 



It is not strange that the older scientists of the time of Liebig should 

 have attacked the greatest importance to the mineral plant food for at 

 that time, organic chemistry was little developed, the science of 

 bacteriology was hardly known and plant physiology was in its infancy. 



It is strange, however, that, with our present knowledge of these 

 subjects, their influence in the solution of the problem should be so 

 completely ignored by so many. 



The chemical department of the Michigan Experiment Station is in 

 full sympathy with the new view of soils and our soil work is being 

 conducted along those lines. 



The Chairman — We must hasten with our program for it is getting 

 rather late. The next topic is "Clearing and Developing of Three Hun- 

 dred Acres; of Land for Fruit Growing," by Mr. J. E. Merritt, of 

 Manistee. 



Mr. Merritt — Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I was quite sur- 

 prised a few days ago to receive a letter from Secretary Bassett asking 

 that I come down here and tell you something about my experience in 

 clearing up a piece of land for fruit growing. 



I replied to him that I feared that 1 might not be able to interest 

 you, but inasmuch as I have had some slides made illustrating our work 

 he asked that I come down and show them, and I have consented to do it. 

 As I was coming down here on the Pere Marquette train you know I 

 would have plenty of time for reflection and I tried to think up some- 

 thing that would be of interest to you, and the more I thought of it 

 the more forcibly there came to my mind a story that was told to me 

 recently of a land and lot boomer, from Wichita, Kansas. This land 

 boomer from Wichita, it seems, was in the habit of going away from 

 home to other states to sell Wichita lots and lands to outside people. 

 One time when on an eastern trip, after he had finished his business, 

 and while waiting for a train, he sauntered around to the suburbs and 

 noticed a fine residence with carriages outside, and a number of people 

 going into the house. So he went in and sat down. He found it was 

 a funeral of the owner of the place, so he sat down and listened to the 

 music and the remarks of the pastor, who was very profuse in the words 

 of praise for the charitable and benevolent character of the deceased. 

 When he was through, this stranger rose to his feet and said: "Ladies 

 and gentlemen, I am a stranger in this town ; in fact this is the first 

 lime I was ever here. I have listened to the beautiful music and heard 

 the glowing words of tribute from your beloved pastor as to the char- 

 acter of this man here who lies dead, and I am very much impressed with 

 the fact that I have missed a great deal in my life by not having been 

 acquainted with him. But as I do not know anything about him I 

 am unable to say anything in his favor, but if you have no objection 

 I would like to make a few remarks about Wichita." 



I relate this story because after talking about my own farm and 

 my own county and showing you pictures which may look like boosting, 

 if you happen to think that I am like this man from Wichita, I wish 

 you would kindly place the blame where it truly belongs, and that is 

 with your good secretary, Mr. Bassett. 



In 1909 I wanted an orchard and I secured some wild land in the 



