46 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



US I can figure it, we have saved the growers of this Society not less than 

 ."^ISjOOO the past year. When we take into consideration that a great 

 many people in the state of Michigan purchase goods outside of the So- 

 ciety, and because of our co-operative efforts, the price is greatly low- 

 ered, so that other firms who handle these products are obliged to come 

 to our prices in order to sell their goods, you can see something of what 

 this co-operative plan has been in the way of a benefit to our fruit grow- 

 ers, who have to purchase spraying materials and fertilizing products. 

 I say frankly, that I believe we have reason to be grateful for the way 

 in which this is working out. 



There is a plan at the present time, but which is not yet completed, 

 for this Society to have issued each month from the Secretary's office, a 

 Bulletin in the natui'e of an ofiicial organ. It should contain much of in- 

 formation from the Secretary's oflice concerning co-operative plans, 

 crop reports, prospects for the future, etc. We certainly should have 

 such an organ ; in fact, we have needed it for a long time, and now it is 

 almost imperative. I believe that the plan laid out by the Board for 

 this publication can be carried to completion, if we can arrange to have 

 it entered for delivery through the mails at second class rates. The 

 state of Michigan can be greatly benefited by having such a medium. 

 It is not the idea that one man will do all the writing, but copy will 

 be furnished by the members from all parts of the state. This publica- 

 tion must be your organ, and if it is attempted, you must send it items 

 of news that will mean something and which will be of interest to the 

 members. 



One other matter that I wish to urge. Many of you have nice orchard 

 scenes which show and prove something, that we want to impress upon 

 the public at large. We want pictures of these but we don't care for 

 them merely as pictures. I don't want any pictures unless they have an 

 educational value. Send these pictures to the Secretary and on the back 

 of each picture indicate from whom it is sent, place, and what it repre- 

 sents. I have received more than one picture that didn't have a single 

 thing on it, so it was impossible to tell from whom the picture came, 

 or what it represented and therefore was worthless. 



During the past year we have lost some members by death. I desire 

 especially that our life membership be corrected to date and I wish 

 that you would look through our life memberehip list and tell me of any 

 deaths that do not appear, and if the friends can send me a biographical 

 sketch of that person's life I will see that it is incorporated in the an- 

 nual report, so that our members may know of the good deeds of those 

 who have passed from us. We want to keep their good example before 

 the public and I hope you will furnish me with any information regard- 

 ing the passing away of our life members, or for that matter of any 

 of our membei*s who have been helpful. 



Two members to whom I wish to call your attention are Mr. Edward 

 Hawley and Mr. Alexander Hamilton. 



Edward Hawley was born in Paterson, New Jersey, Sept. 20th, 1836. 



He was educated in the public schools of Brooklyn and there learned 

 the trade of machinist and draftsman, at which trade he worked for 

 a number of years. In the early sixties he came to Michigan with his 

 family and settled on a farm at Burr Oak. Later in 18GS he moved to 

 Ganges, Allegan county, where he began to raise fruit. For the rest of 



