336 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Adrian and Monroe. For thirteen years, from 1860, he was a member of the^ 

 state board of education, and from the first was prominent in its work. His 

 activity in politics was by no means slight, nor the public positions he occupied 

 few. He was successively prosecuting attorney of Monroe county, postmaster 

 at Monroe city, and member of the state constitutional commission. He was 

 also tliree times elected member of congress from the second district, receiv- 

 ing large majorities each time and running "ahead of his ticket." In national 

 legislation he was as prudent and industrious as in other matters, several times 

 distinguishing himself both in debate and origin of legislative measures. 

 During his terms in congress he was favored by many for the office of 

 United States senator and received votes for that office in two or three con- 

 tests in the state legislature. These two were given him entirely without his 

 seeking. The profession of journalism also is proud to number Mr. Willits 

 among its membership, he having for several years, with marked ability, con- 

 ducted the Monroe Commercial. He was not long allowed to rest from public 

 duties after close of his six years' service in congress, for in 1882 he was called 

 by the state board of education to the charge of the Michigan State Normal 

 School, which position he resigned only to accept the presidency of the Agri- 

 cultural College, which office he assumed upon the 19th of August 1885. 



Soon after the beginning of his administration, President Harrison appointed 

 Mr. Willits assistant secretary of agriculture, the selection having been 

 first suggested by the scientists of the department, who were so impressed by 

 Mr. Willits, when in Washington the preceding year, on College business, 

 that they united in requesting his appointment. Under such exceptional con- 

 ditions, only acceptance was natural or possible, and Mr. Willits resigned 

 his presidency, and in April, 1889, assumed in Washington his new duties. 

 He was at once, by an order of Secretary Rusk, dated April 26, 1889, 

 assigned much of the most important work of the department, being 

 placed in charge of the botanical division and section of vegetable pathol- 

 ogy, the pomological division, the Microscopical division, the chemical 

 division, the ornithological division, the forestry division, the entomological 

 division and the silk section, and the office of experiment stations, having of 

 all these the general control and direction of their scientific policy, the whole 

 involving an annual expenditure of more than a million dollars and involv- 

 ing great responsibilities. 



That all this important labor will be well performed there is abundant 

 warrant in the many successes of Mr. Willits life, the result of natural quali- 

 ties and acquired knowledge and experience which have stamped him as one 

 of the strong men of the nation. 



ROBERT C. KEDZIE. M. A., M. D. 



What farmer or fruit grower in Michigan does not recognize in the portrait of 

 Dr. Kedzie the face of a friend as well as that of a genial, frank, and courteous 

 man, keen in thought, industrious in research, tireless in action, the whole 

 realm of his activities controlled by rare intelligence and a great fund of that 

 which is given charity to most men — common sense? There are those, of 

 course (and more's the pity) who do not know Mr. Kedzie as a personal friend, 

 but surely there is not one man among all the kinds of tillers of soil, at all 

 conversant with the lore of his calling, but recognizes him as a distinguished 

 benefactor. Of all the men who have done grand work at our Agricultural 



