A FARMEKS' IJ^STITUTE AT SOUTH HAVEI^f 



JANUARY 24-25. 



The meeting of the State Farmers' Institute, January 24 and 25, was held 

 at the opera house which was tastefully decorated with evergreens, while a 

 large anchor over the stage was copiously studded with splendid specimens of 

 the apple, seeming to say, "The apple is the sheet-anchor of horticulture," 

 while two large tables loaded with fruits and flowers made as fine a showing, 

 considering the season, as at many county fairs when the fruits are at their 

 best. L. H. Bailey, the apple king, had 28 varieties of apple, J. G. Ramsdell 

 9, G. W. Law 8, H. J. Linderman 6, and Messrs. Bixby, Chatfield, Williams, 

 and others smaller displays. D. C. Hodge, 0. H. Emerson, and others had 

 displays of corn and other products, M. H. Bixby wheat, while M. D. Merrill 

 crowned and finished the whole by a fine display of flowers. 



The exercises of the evening were opened by music by the South Haven 

 cornet band, followed by prayer by the Rev. M. A. Bullock, and then by the 

 address of welcome by Hon. C. I. Monroe, president of the South Haven and 

 Casco Pomological Society, who said : 



Ladies akd Gentlemen — It is my pleasant duty to say a few words of 

 welcome to those who have come to conduct this institute, as well as to those 

 who are gathered for instruction. 



It was thought best that I should give some facts and figures about this 

 locality and its productions. My excuse to the conductors of the institute 

 for imposing these figures is that I do it in compliance with a request from 

 Prof. Bailey, who had special charge of the arrangements for this institute. 

 My excuse to the audience is that this is one of the few institutes held in a 

 locality devoted in the main to pomological and horticultural pursuits ; hence 

 it seemed desirable to call attention to the extent and magnitude of these 

 growing interests of our State, especially that those who are instructors and 

 managers of the Agricultural College might get a more comprehensive view of 

 the importance of the pomological and horticultural interest, in order that 

 said interest may receive from the college a larger share in its course of studies, 

 investigations and experiments. 



Before presenting the figures I wish to say a few words of personal »Telcome^ 

 President Willits, I believe, is here for the first time. While he comes from 

 the Agricultural College, his old home was at Monroe, on Lake Erie. We 

 welcome him across the State to Lake Michigan, and trust that he will find 

 much here to remind him of his old home, which is one of the oldest fruit 

 producing sections of our commonwealth. 



To my old classmate. Prof. Cook, I give hearty welcome, and know that I 

 utter the sentiments of this community in saying we are glad to have him 



