284 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



MUSKEGON COUNTY HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



PREPARED BY SECRETARY HOLT. 



This society was organized December IG, 1880, and the following officers for 

 1881 elected : 



President — Hiram S. Tyler. 



Vice President — Samuel B. Peck. 



Treasurer — Henry H. Holt. 



Secretary — John E. Daggett. 



The president and secretary afterwards resigned, and Samuel B. Peck and 

 Henry H. Holt were elected to fill their respective places. 



Regular meetings of the society have been held on the first Saturday of each 

 month during the year, and have been more or less fully attended. At the 

 meeting in Eebruary a very interesting article was read by the jiresident, Mr. 

 Peck, entitled the "Grape for the million." The article was published in the 

 daily papers, and was very well received by those who had an opportunity of 

 reading it. Mr. W. B. Clark read a valuable paper at the March meeting upon 

 the cultivation of the sugar beet, which we regret to say was not published. 

 This subject was well treated by Mr. Clark, and, by the way, is one in our 

 opinion that is worthy of receiving greater attention than is at present bestowed 

 upon it. 



The society has made two exhibitions of fruit during the year, and which 

 proved very successful, both as regards the display and the attendance on these 

 occasions. The first of these was a display of strawberries and the other that 

 of grapes and autumn fruits. 



A resume of the season as relates to fruit culture in Muskegon and vicinity 

 is hereto attached. 



MUSKEGON" FRUIT SHIPMENTS. 



From June 1, 18S1, to September 19, 1881, the Lumberman's National 

 Bank paid out for Chicago parties to Muskegon individuals the sum of $23,- 

 338.88 for berries that had been shipped from this city to Chicago. Most of 

 this amount was paid for strawberries. A few blackberries, raspberries, huck- 

 leberries, and whortleberries were also shipped from Muskegon, but not enough 

 to become of any importance. This certainly speaks exceedingly well for the 

 fruit raising qualities of Muskegon's soil, for all these berries are raised within 

 a radius of six miles from our city — the fruit being larger and of a better qual- 

 ity than any other region can boast of. Perhaps this is claiming a great deal, 

 but facts and appearances will undoubtedly prove that we are correct in our 

 assertions. Each and every year the strawberry crop in this vicinity has been 

 assuming larger proportions, and has now become enormous; indeed, our people 

 are turning their attention simply to strawberries, grapes, and peaches, and 

 are fully realizing all their hopes. The soil in this region is peculiarly adapted 

 to fruit culture, and our easy access to the larger markets is something of great 

 importance to fruit growers. By looking at the crop report for September it 

 will be observed that Muskegon farmers can do better raising fruit than wheat. 



