32 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



doubt, intensive methods are best where they can be carried out. We should' 

 all give more and better cultivation to our lands. 



Pres. Lyon cited a grower whose dwarf Duchess pears flowered freely and 

 set but little fruit — a common experience with that sort. He cut them back 

 severely (equivalant to disbudding), manured heavily, and worked it in; and 

 although the trees stood four feet apart, they bore more fruit than would 

 have completely covered the ground. The market gardeners near New York 

 city manure excessively and spade the earth four feet deep; and say tliat on 

 ground worth $1,000 per acre they must do it to make anything. Intensive 

 horticulture has been highly successful on strawberries. (Replying to a 

 question by Mr. W. N. Cook): The Duchess pear needs heavy or strong soil, 

 and this is so as to nearly all others, though there are some which do well on 

 the lighter lands. But even these you should manure heavily, adding clay 

 if possible. 



SOME COMMITTEES. 



President Lyon announced the following committees: 



Fruits and Fto?<Jers— Messrs. L. R. Taft, A. G. Gulley. Thomas Wilde. 



Resolutions— ^e?>srs. W. J. Beal, J. F. Taylor, S. R. Fuller. 



Tuesday Morning Session. 



The second session of fhe series began with an increased attendance and 

 continued with growing interest, being opened by the following paper by 

 W. A. Brown of Benton Harbor, on 



COMMERCIAL FRUIT CULTURE. 



The work done by the pioneer members of the Michigan State Horticul- 

 tural Society in the interests of practical fruit growing have resulted in great 

 commercial interests which now require the co-operation of fruit growers for 

 the purpose of economical distribution, transportation, and marketing. Socie- 

 ties have discussed all questions connected with location, methods, diseases, 

 and varieties of fruits. The student who desires information regarding fruit 

 growing upon the Michigan peninsula can find full knowledge regarding all 

 subjects relating to this great interest in the numerous volumes of the reports 

 of this society. 



But commercial fruit growing, in those parts of our state most exempt 

 from the rigorous climate of this latitude, has developed more rapidly and 

 assumed greater proportions than dreamed of by the most sanguine fruit 

 grower of twenty years ago. While horticultural societies have accomplished 

 much for our fruitgrowing interests, they are not organized for business; but 

 since the large production of fruits demand new methods of marketing, and 

 a more comprehensive system of distribution, the consideration of these sub- 

 jects is of paramount importance. 



THE OLD SYSTEM OF SALES UNSATISFACTORY. 



The old system of selling to grocers, by growers for a local market, or indi- 

 vidual consignments to commission houses at distant markets, proved gener- 



