3 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Joseph Lannin of South Haven spoke in behalf of the West Michigan 

 society, regarding it a high compliment to be invited to Benton Harbor, the 

 center of horticulture in Michigan for half a century. We have met Benton 

 Harbor people here and elsewhere, and have always got from them such prac- 

 tical information as we hope now again to receive. While Berrien county did 

 indeed lose her peaches, she is no less famous now for her small fruits. He 

 had heard that were the small fruits raised about Benton Harbor all dumped 

 in a line tliey wouhl pave a highway from here to Chicago. He had been 

 astonished, riding out from town, to find the whole country covered with 

 fruit trees and plants, and rejoiced to know there was demand for the whole 

 vast quantity. He was moved, in contemplation of our varied and fruitful 

 soils, mild climate, and other blessings, to use the poetry of holy writ: "Our 

 lines have fallen in pleasant places and Thou hast given us a goodly heritage." 



President Lyon of the State society said one of the most important benefits 

 of horticulture was its revelation of the adaptability of a country to agricul- 

 ture. If a land were shown to be friendly to the refinements of horticulture 

 it was proved valuable for agriculture. For this reason, what we have done 

 has been of more value to agriculture than the work of an agricultural society 

 could possibly be. Our exhibits are made in a self-sacrificing spirit and not 

 for advertising purposes, as are many agricultural exhibitions. When he 

 came here fifty years ago it was not known if fruit growing were possible; yet 

 the New Yorkers tried, from their native love of fruits, and the result is that 

 Michigan is proved to have horticultural possibilities equaled by no other 

 ■state. We have come here to learn of you who were first to begin commer- 

 cial fruit growing. AVe may impart but we know we shall receive. 



President Phillips spoke in an impassioned manner, saying he would not be 

 true to the emotions of his heart if he did not speak his feelings. He felt in- 

 spired by sight of the fruit, the flowers ("alphabet of the angels"), the ladies, 

 and this assemblage of fruit growers, to say that we truly should feel a pride, 

 as we meet, to know our work is raising the people to a higher and more Chris- 

 tian civilization. He eloquently exhorted each to do his part and all to aid 

 faithfully in the progress of the pomologist's exalted calling, 



THE season's PliOMISE. 



Reports of crop conditions were made by gentlemen present from j)oints 

 on the shore as far as Ottawa county, and east and southeast across the State. 

 These uniformly agreed that apples and peaches were unusually full; pears, 

 good but not so full as last year; plums and quinces, loaded; raspberries, 

 very full; blackberries, a half crop; strawberries, short, except new fields, on 

 account of last season's drouth ; gra^^es, abundant, though in low places a 

 little hurt by frost. 



USE OF ARSENICAL SPRAY. 



There was much discussion of spraying with arsenites, all agreeing it is 

 effectual as to the codlin moth and many other sorts of insect ; but dissa- 

 greeing as to how it effects the curculio (whether killing the mature insect or 

 only the larva'), though actual experiments seem to prove that the spray does 

 stop the mischief and provide good cro])8. 



It was the sense of the meeting that it is better to use a weak solution and 

 spray of toner. 



