Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-03-01
NO USE FOR AGENTS
Fruit Growers Vii Mostly Buy
Their Trees Direct
FROM REPUTABLE NURSERIES
Meeting or the Grand River Valley
horticultural ><ociets Yesterday.
Experiments OF Ponsoiogssts-

President Pearce presided AT the Feb
ruary meeting 81 the Grand River Val.
les Horticultural society yesterday.
Some forty were present. The subject.
When. How and Where TO Purchase
Nursery Stock aud Seeds, and What 10
Buy for Market and Experimentation,
was exclusively discussed.
Charles w Garfield was 10 leave at
the close Of the morning session for the
State Horticultural meeting at Benton
Hsrbor. 80 he was asked 10 speak first
lie spoke chiefly in advocacy Of unity
between the local fair associations lie
said the Kent County Agricultural So
ciefy must have back It's old Hembels
aud get back 20 the old plan in order 10
make the fair a success. The Kent
county people had no desire. however.
To detract from the West Michigan 80
ciety. Ii desired the Horticultural so
ciety 10 take charge IL the horticultural
display al the Kent county fair. On
motion IL X. NJ Kellogg Of lonia the
proposition was accepted.
Mr. Garfield advised a following ~
the English plan OF holding horficul.
tural meetings. in which the meetings
are always supplemented by display of
the producers. and the competition as 10
the choicest specimens becomes very
great The speaker also suggested
plans for increasing the membership.
and HAS followed 10y the president. who
Appealed to those present Ia urge on
fruit growers the good returns from the
81 membership fee. The society. he
said. contained men skilled In every
branch Of horticulture. and il was i'm
possible To ask a practical question
which the society could not profitably
answer.
Delegates tn Benton Harbor.
On motion Of Mr.. Garfield. credentials
were furnished every member who would
go 10 Benton Harbor 10 the State Asso-
ciafion meeting. Messrs. Garfield.
Pearce. Kellogg. Post and Munson an
nounced that they would 90. When.
How and Where 10 Purchase Nursery
Stock and Seeds" was discussed enter
tainingly and instructiyely most Of the
afternoon. In opening. the president
congratulated Michigan pomologists on
the new line Of boats from Frankfort by
which twenty one loaded cars are taken
quickly across the lake without break
ing bulk. W. " Cook exhibited some
Merrimac grapes kept in sealed crooks,
which were absolutely perfect.
Testimony as 10 the breaks OF the
temperature were given. showing a
variety Of IL to - degrees below zero in
the coldest weather at various points in
Kent. Ottawa and Ionia counties. None
reported any frozen peach buds.
They're Up 20 Snur Now.
The subject Of nursery stock brought
out spirited discussion. All were
united on one point. viz: To beware Of
the tree agent. Il. NJ. Kellogg. Of Ionia.
said that fifteen years age il would have
been considered impertinent 10 ask a
man where he bought trees. Ii was
now becoming harder To do an illegiti.
mate business, and nurserymen could
no longer palm off poor articles by the
wholesale on the unsuspecting horti-
culturist When such societies as this
are in existence the tree agent has a
rocky road 10 travel He related an
amusing experience be had in Rochester
buying a load ~ trees Of one alleged
variety. and seeing them sold afterwards
To another buyer az an entirely different
variety. Some members youched for
the integrity IL certain nurserymen.
and the subject Of trees. the formation
Of clubs for their purchase. and other
means ~ self protection were discussed
by many members.
Michigan, the president remarked. is
demonstrated % be model fruit raising
state by the present condition 81 the
weather. The blizzard had ragged i'm
Wisconsin. but on reaching Michigan ii
was tempered 10 only a mild breeze.
The subjects az seeds and various pouso-
logical experiments. were discussed, and
the association adjourned after an inter
esting and profitable session.