KEPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 285 



The number of acres of wheat in Muskegon county was 6,297; the average 

 yield per acre, 7.7 bushels; the number of bushels harvested, 48,479. There- 

 fore our farmers are doing wisely in dropping the wheat question and spending 

 more time in the valuable pursuits of cultivating the choisest strawberries, 

 grapes and other fruits, and obtaining a desirable revenue for the same. This 

 year the strawberry crop has been good, while the grape crop will be 

 simply immense, and other fruits are raised with exactly as much satisfaction. 

 There is no doubt in the minds of well posted fruit growers but that in a 

 very few years Muskegon will rank as one of the first counties in the State in 

 the raising of fruits of all descriptions; at least it looks that way at present. 

 At the meeting in November action in compliance with the request of the 

 signal service corps was taken, an account of which copied from the Muskegon 

 Daily Chronicle explains itself : 



THE WEATHER EEPORTS. 



The Hon. H. H. Holt, secretary of the Muskegon County Horticultural 

 Society, received a circular from H. B. Hazen, chief signal service officer 

 of the United States, requesting the society's opinion as to the value of the 

 reports to the various interests of the country now rendered by the signal ser- 

 vice corps. He requested also that a statement be made as to what the inter- 

 ests of this section are, and that the society suggest any improvements in the 

 workings of the service which would make it more efficient and useful. 



In response to this circular the following resolution was passed by the society 

 at its meeting Nov. 5, 1881 : 



Besolved, That the weather forecasts, or signal reports, now in use in the signal 

 service have been proved to he of great value to the various interests of our coun- 

 try, including the fruit interests, and that we earnestly hope that measures will be 

 used which shall provide for the publication of these reports in every city and vil- 

 lage of the United States in wliich a daily paper is published. In this connection 

 we would particularly ask that means be provided for the publication of these 

 reports in the daily papers of the city of Muskegon, it being the largest and most 

 important commercial city on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. 



The members of the society feel that the success thus far attained has been 

 such as to encourage further effort and purpose to enter upon the new year with 

 increased energy. 



