84 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and soils adapted to the raisiug of all sorts of fruits known to this latitude. 

 It is favored by near markets, with excellent facilities for reaching them. 

 These fortunate surroundings make us ambitious to so educate ourselves that 

 we may derive the greatest benefit from them. I believe our pomological 

 societies and gatherings like these are among the best to give us such educa- 

 tion. In welcoming the members from St. Joseph and Benton Harbor we 

 appreciate that they come from the oldest fruit growing section of western 

 Michigan, a region which has given wide fame to the state as a producer of 

 choice and tender fruits — a locality which has prospered wonderfully and 

 brought to its citizens a large amount of wealth for the time and money spent 

 and the acres cultivated. We are aware that they have had reverses and fail- 

 ures, but many more successes, and hence we want to draw upon their knowl- 

 edge and their experience that we may reverse their failures into successes. 

 In welcoming the members from the eastern portion of our county, from 

 Ganges, Fennville, Allegan, Douglas, Saugatuck, Holland, Grand Haven, 

 Muskegon and other points, we are aware that they are younger in the busi- 

 ness than St. Joseph or Benton Harbor, but with their youth comes more 

 hope and enthusiasm, of which we shall try to absorb freely. 



We welcome you in a business sense, feeling that your society specially rep- 

 resents the fruit intert^sts of western Michigan ; that from north to south we 

 need the same knowledge and skill to properly select the soil suitable for the 

 fruit, the best methods of preparation, obtaining the most desirable varieties, 

 subsequent care and cultivation, picking, packing, and marketing; the most 

 effective means to guard our trees and fruits from insects and disease — how 

 best to fight the one and control the other. The recent drouth has empha- 

 sized the importance of some cheap method of irrigation. It won't do to 

 pass this question as a "dry" one. It must receive earnest consideration, 

 and any practical solution will apply to the whole territory covered by your 

 society. These and other questions are of such paramount importance that 

 they not only require the best thought and the most diligent investigation 

 which we can bring to them, but we need the associated effort and the com- 

 bined influence and experience of all interested. I tiiink I speak advisedly 

 in saying that there are few if any classes of business or employment more in 

 need of close, associated work, or of a more intimate acquaintance with past 

 experiences. To know the right thing to do and to be in a position as a com- 

 munity to act promptly, is of the utmost consequence in fruit growing. A 

 few days' neglect of diseased trees may destroy the work of years, or a few 

 days' delay in attending to the insects may ruin the season's crop. Besides, 

 we do not reap in the fall the spring's sowing, but have to wait from two or 

 three years to a life-time. Hence experiments are costly, usually in propor- 

 tion to the time required to test their correctness or get returns for the out- 

 lay. We have a direct interest in the largest number raising good fruit, and 

 honest packing concerns all. To market promptly, at the best points, at the 

 right time, and in quantities needed, is important over most products because 

 of the perishable nature of our delicious fruits. The short time between 

 maturity and decay makes it urgent to place ready our products for consump-, 

 tion or for canning and preserving. The need of concert of action in market- 

 ing will be more apparent with increased production. California and Florida 

 have proven the futility of independent shipping with large crops. With 

 limited supply, individuals may get better prices l)y "going it alone," 

 although it too often comes out of eome less fortunate neighbor. The largest 



