THE JUNE MEETING AT SOUTH HAYEN. 



Wednesdaii Evening Session. 



No reflection is made upon the quality of the former meetings of this society 

 when it is said that the June assembly of 1886 was the most successful in 

 points of attendance and enjoyment oif any the society has held. The attend- 

 ance of pomologists from beyond the locality of the meeting was surprisingly 

 large. One of the pleasantest features of the occasion was the ungrudging 

 hospitality of the people of the village and adjacent country, who left no 

 guest unprovided for and spared no effort to make everyone comfortable. 

 Their cheerful homes afforded warm welcomes and their kind attentiveness the 

 most hospitable of entertainment. The town's reputation as a community 

 of intelligent and fraternal people in no way suffered but was in every respect 

 strengthen* d and increased. 



Wednesday evening found a goodly company of people in the opera house 

 to witness and take part in the opening meeting. President Phillips called 

 to order and the Rev. Bullock offered appropriate prayer, when the Honorable 

 0. J. Monroe made the following address of welcome. It is subjoined in full 

 because on such occasions Mr. Monroe always departs from the usual formal 

 style and presents thoroughly practical thoughts about pertinent and practi- 

 cal questions. He said : 



MR. MONROE'S ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 



Mr. President and Members of the Wed Michigan Fruit Oroiuers' Society : 



As president of the South Haven and Casco Pomological Society, and at the 

 request of the president of the village, it is my pleasant duty to welcome you 

 here. While I may lack the words and the grace to do this as appropriately 

 as I could wish, I have the satisfaction of feeling, and of assuring you, that 

 back of my words stand a community which will give you such cordial greeting 

 and such generous hospitality as to assure you of our appreciation of your 

 coming among us. Remembering that you are the representatives of the 

 fruit belt of western Michigan, and knowing something of the knowledge and 

 the skill which your great and growing interest requires in order to make 

 proper selection of desirable sorts of fruits and suitable soils, in the care and 

 cultivation, and in the packing and marketing, also the vigilance and the per- 

 •severance needed to save our trees and fruits from the myriads of insects and 

 the numerous diseases — many reasons are suggested why we should welcome 

 you to this locality. I will mention three, and designate them as selfish, 

 business and social reasons. First, as to the selfish reason. This vicinity, 

 in common with those you represent, possesses natural climatic influences 



