Fertilization of the Strawberry. 57 



a vast expenditure of means and years of patient labor in his endeavors to 

 perfect the article he is trying to produce, is a benefactor and is entitled to 

 a place in our midst. 



Last, although not least in importance, I will mention the newspaper man, 

 who comes armed with paper and pencil, makes notes of the most import- 

 ant features of our debates, so that, through the columns of his paper, mil- 

 lions of people, who are not so situated as to be able to meet with us, may 

 be informed of our actions and benefited by our discussions. He is, indeed, 

 a great benefactor, and should receive our hearty, moral, as well as pecuni- 

 ary, support. 



Fraternity is the vitaK factor of a society of this kind, and unless every 

 person who is in any way interested in the production, transportation, sale 

 or consumption of fruits or vegetables can meet upon equal footing and re- 

 ceive equally courteous attention, the object of this Society has not been at- 

 tained, and, it may be truly said, that it has fallen into the hands of a clique. 

 Such, I am happy to say, has not been its history in the past, and I predict 

 will not be in the future. Its meetings have always been conducted upon 

 the broad gauge plan of fraternity ; people from all sections of the country 

 and of all lines of business have been received with open hands and cour- 

 teous treatment, and invariably return to their homes feeling that they had 

 been benefited by its fraternal associations, and impatient for the time to 

 arrive for its next meeting. 



President Earle — The programme of to-morrow forenoon will 

 consist of a paper by Mr. Merwin, of Tennessee, on Fertilization, 

 election of officers, etc. 



The Society then adjourned till 9 A. M. to-morrow. 



Third Day — Friday. 



Forenoon Session, January 16. 



At 9:30 A. M. President Earle called the meeting to order, and 

 introduced Mr. C. M. Merwin, of Tennessee, who read his paper on 



FERTILIZATION OF THE STRAWBERRY. 



BY C. M. BIERWIN, OF TENNESSEE. 



Mr. President — I was notified by the Secretary that a paper on the 

 pollenization of the strawberry was expected of me at this meeting, and I 

 have prepared such as best I could, and hope that, should discussion follow 



5 



