have an organization to control the shipments. In Delaware they had such an organization and we also had one at Benton Harbor, but some who stayed outside of the exchange, to save the one cent commission, finally broke it up by their sheer selfishness; but this was finally a damage even to the outsiders. We are doing missionary work and we find it hard to make people honest by that means. We know those people are dishonest over there, and they think we are dishonest over here, and so it goes until we have some practical way out of it. J. C. GOULD: Some commission men keep "snide" packages and repack the fruit we send them. Now, we have a fruitgrowers' organization at Lawton. The members are intelligent and honest and they demanded last fall that the buyers come to us and buy our fruit and they came. They even went to meet the fruitsellers out of town, so anxious were they to buy of them. D. W. HINMAN: I find the complaints come from men who pack dishonestly and then blame those who are honest and get more for their fruit. I think the time spent in thinning pays, and if the trees are properly thinned we shall have little poor fruit. J. G. RAMSDELL: I have had some experience in "snide" packages. In filling orders I have had to buy some peaches of friends whom I thought reliable. I got some that looked all right on top, but in the bottom were some that would make a pig squeal. But in packing fruit honestly, Mr. SMITH says he sees no way except to compel people to be honest. I, at South Haven, with others, tried to get up an organization requiring the members to put their names on the package guaranteeing the fruit, and out of the seventy-five or eighty fruitgrowers we could get only fifteen to enter into such an organization. If we could get packers to put their names on the package, as a guaranty of quality, the fruit would be as sure and stable as flour, and it would sell for a full price. R. MORRILL: I think it is not policy to smooth this matter over. It is for our credit and profit to keep working at this business until we can work a reformation. In regard to repacking in Chicago, it is thought to be discreditable, and all the larger dealers will have nothing to do with it. There is a necessity for organization among fruitgrowers. We at Benton Harbor had once a spasm of honesty, and forty-five men agreed to use standard packages. But not all filled the agreement, and it fell through. Lawton grapes were good, and they have not been in the business long enough to be spoiled yet; but if they follow precedent they will soon come to it. I do not think our fruit-men realize how much fruit could be used if all our fruit was standard. There is a demand for second-grade, but this can be standard. Each has its place. If not standard there is an element of uncertainty. One man says he has had no trouble with commission men, and I will wager that it began with himself sending perfect fruit. Now when you find men who are saying all commission men are thieves, you may depend that the fault is at home. At the morning session of Dec. 18, reports of secretary and treasurer, and of the committee on president's message, were read. The latter precipitated a debate as to the meaning of one clause which appeared to favor an allotment of space for the use of this society, in which all the speakers took the ground that it must be purely a Michigan exhibit and not for any particular society. On motion, the clauses of the report referring to it were stricken out and the report adopted as amended. E. C. REID moved that two members of this society be selected to act with the legislative committee of the state society. C. J. MONROE and J. C. GOULD were selected. On motion, R. MORRILL was added to this. committee. The committee on resolutions reported in the usual style and the resolutions were adopted. QUESTION BOX. Can gooseberry-growing be made profitable in this vicinity? J. G. RAMSDELL: The Downing rarely drops its leaf, while Smith's does sometimes. Several others, including the Industry, are hardly worth planting. It mildews badly. Drouth seems to be most severe on gooseberries and seems to affect the Downing least of all. This variety seems best far all purposes in our locality. A. HAMILTON: The gooseberry has been in the past profitable; but now there seems to be a disposition to plant largely, and I fear it will be overdone. A few years ago crabapples were in great demand, but now the price is so low that it does not pay to ship. J. L. HOPKINS: The supply of gooseberries is very great now but the demand is so great that if one half the land on the lake shore were planted to gooseberries there would be none too many. For variety the Downing is preferred. J. C. GOULD: I think no fruit except pears should be picked green.. It injures the market and all fruit is better ripe than green. E. C. REID: As to the gooseberry there is a growing liking for the ripe fruit, but green gooseberries are very nice for sauce and preserving, and they can be sent even to the Rocky mountains. I have the Smith Improved, which dropped its leaves somewhat last year but is a thrifty, strong grower, with fruit of excellent quality. W. A. TAYLOR: It makes some difference as to the soil on which the gooseberry is planted. The Houghton does well on light, sandy soil. The Downing will sometimes mildew on heavy soil. H. CHATFIELD: I think California will take lots of our gooseberries. They can not raise them there-it is too hot. Colorado will take quantities, and it is one of the best fruits we have for canning or preserving. Can we sell our fruit at home? J.C. GOULD: If we are to sell our fruit at home we must have enough fruit to get buyers to come. It was about three years before we could get them to come to Lawton, but now we find we can do better than to ship it. We sell by private sale. E. C. REID: As secretary of the State Horticultural society I have numerous inquiries as to where fruit can be bought, and the fact is that the number of buyers coming here is increasing, and, if we work the matter up judiciously, the buyers will all come and we will get better prices. from the direct competition; and it is more satisfactory to sell your fruit. at home and get your money. The meeting adjourned sine die. HON. JOHN M. SAMUELS, CHIEF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE, WORLD'S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION. JOHN M. SAMUELS, chief of the department of horticulture, World's Columbian Exposition, was born in the village of Burksville, Cumberland county, Kentucky, Feb. 26, 1848. His ancestors were English, French, and German, and were among the very first settlers of Kentucky. They participated in the Indian wars and afterward became very large land-owners and were prominently identified with the interests of the state. A great-grandfather was an own cousin of GEO. WASHINGTON and was a colonel in the Continental army. W. M. SAMUELS, the father of the subject of this sketch, moved to Clinton, in the western part of Kentucky, in 1852, and after merchandising a few years, sold out and concentrated his efforts in the nursery business. Young SAMUELS grew up in his father's nursery and imbibed a great love for horticulture in its various branches. When not assisting his father he attended Clinton academy, and afterward completed the college course at Kentucky university. By testing all fruits before recommending them, and by strict attention to every detail of the business, the father and son made an excellent reputation for the Mississippi Valley nurseries, which are now known throughout the civilized world. On arriving at his majority, in 1869, Mr. SAMUELS established the Louisiana nurseries, which are still in successful operation in Shreveport. Under his management, in those years, these nurseries became the largest in the south, and many of the large orchards and ornamental grounds in the southwest are the result of trees and plants distributed from them. Yellow fever having almost depopulated Shreveport in 1873, Mr. SAMUELS disposed of his interests there, returned to Kentucky, and became an equal partner with his father in the Mississippi Valley nurseries, which interest he now holds. By diligent application to business he accumulated considerable capital and invested in improved and unimproved lands in Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida, California, and in real estate in Chicago. Upon the southern lands he established orchards of fruits suited to different soils and climates. Having a desire to become familiar with fruits in all parts of the country, he adopted the best plan of doing so, by speculating in them during the least busy season in the nursery. He bought and shipped apples, pears, grapes, etc., from New York, Michigan, Missouri, Canada, and other fruit centers; and dealt in oranges and other sub-tropical fruits, eight winters in Florida and five seasons in California. During part of this time he was a partner in a fruit commission firm in St. Louis and Chicago and had an excellent opportunity of learning the market value of foreign and domestic fruits. For the purpose of experimenting and investigating, he has visited every state and territory in the United States, except Alaska and North Carolina, and also visited several states in Mexico and the dominion of Canada. He has also traveled over fourteen countries in Europe, and by steady application made himself master of the details of scientific horticulture at home and abroad. Information gained in his journeyings through southern Italy, in regard to gathering, packing, and curing lemons, was communicated to the orchardists of Florida and California, was gratefully acknowledged by many of the growers in these states, and greatly stimulated that important industry. The nursery firm of which he is a member was a large exhibitor at New Orleans and was awarded thirty-five premiums and five gold and silver medals. It is doubtful if any firm in the country has won more prizes in exhibitions north and south. Mr. SAMUELS has been identified with many horticultural societies; has written numerous articles for the horticultural press, and edited a number of catalogues. He is a life member of the American Pomological society, one of the vice-presidents of the American Horticultural society, member of the society of American Florists, charter member of the Horticultural society of Chicago, etc. He has the friendship and confidence of the best people wherever he has done business. The American Garden of New York, in the October number, 1891, has the following editorial: "J. M. SAMUELS has orchards and other horticultural interests in several states, north and south, and is a successful business man. There is every reason, therefore, to regard him as a cosmopolitan and representative man, one who will know no sectionalism, no partisanship, no devotion to a particular product as a main feature. We congratulate the horticultural world on this appointment, which is promising for good results." |