FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT. 141 



greenhorn who is now talking to you, has been our inspiration and 

 help through all of our efforts, and it is under his advice that I get my 

 trees in the fall rather than in the spring. I wintered 3,200 peach trees 

 and then out of these 3,200 which I planted in the spring, I lost but 

 28 trees, which is much less than 1%, but 1 do not think that fruit 

 growers will have a loss of more than 1^ if they winter their trees 

 on their own land. 



(Following this were shown a number of very interesting lantern 

 slides, illustrating Mr. Merritt's work.) 



REPORT OP SPECIAL COMMITTEE. 



Your committee appointed to consider plans for the better grading 

 and marketing of our fruit report as follows: 



We recommend the establishing of fruit marketing associations where- 

 ever fruit is grown in sufficient quantities to warrant it, and the co- 

 operation of these associations already organized for the purpose of 

 getting uniform marketable grade and for the marketing of the same. 



We recommend the adaption of the Sulzer law and the encouraging 

 in every way the adaption and enforcement of the same by all Michigan 

 growers of apples. We recommend that this society, — The Michigan 

 State Horticultural Society, take up the organizing of local societies 

 for the purpose of grading and marketing their products, especially 

 the apples, with a view of a federation of all societies whose object 

 is better grading and more profitable marketing of our fruits. 



We ask the hearty support and co-operation of every Michigan fruit 

 grower to help make the Michigan apple a standard of quality, a profit 

 to the grower and as economic food to the consumer, by cutting out all 

 unnecessary expense between the produce and the consumer. 



VARIETIES OF FRUIT. 



THOMAS SMITH, CHICAGO. 



Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : I think it proper and ap 

 propriate in this church where we are assembled, that we just pretend 

 we are in a Sunday-school class. I am not going to do very much talk- 

 ing but I would like to have every one of you take part, ask me ques- 

 tions, and it may bring to mind the very things I would like to have said. 

 I am not a public speaker but I am a practical man and perhaps it 

 was because of this fact that Mr. Bassett asked me to take up the con- 

 sideration of this topic with you. 



As I look into your faces, I can see many that I am sure could do 

 as well or better than I can, but I will do the best I can. 



I am glad to be with you this afternoon and as a starter in the hope 

 of bringing further questions from you, I would like to ask this one: 

 Those of you who think that the Northern Spy is the best apple grown 

 raise your hands. 



A Voices — Best to sell or best for eating? 



Mr. Smith — Best all around apple. 



