ANNUAL MEETING. 133 



will detect frauds. It is the business of pomological societies to bring to notice 

 genuine fruit preserves, to encourage their manufacture, and to expose frauds. 



By his example the genuine fruit grower teaches our youth two important 

 words — saving and persevering — "sticking to your bush." By his orchards 

 he helps to regulate the climatology of the country, counteracting the evils 

 arising from the ruthless destruction of our forests. He plants wind-breaks 

 by his evergreen hedges, and beautifies the landscape. The holidays are at 

 hand. What adds more to the adornment of the Christmas tree — the joy of 

 childhood — than the sparkling Jonathan, Red Canada, or Baldwin apple, at 

 the sight of which the children leap for joy? 



Yes, the enterprising fruit grower, in his mission of making fruit growing 

 more profitable, will not rest until the garden of Eden is re-opened, Paradise 

 regained; until he beholds that ideal tree of his, which not onlvk "bears twelve 

 manner of fruit and yields her fruit every month,'" but whose very leaves are 

 utilized. The holy record says emphatically: "And the leaves of the tree 

 were for the healing of the nations." Rev. 23:2. 



Let me say in conclusion, what else can happen to him of your ranks who 

 has thus understood and fulfilled his mission, when called to a final account, 

 than to hear the blessed welcome of the Master: " Well done, good and faith- 

 ful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord?" 



J. D. Baldwin, Ann Arbor: In order to make the most of our fruit crop 

 we must look carefully to the economy of marketing. We need proper uniform 

 packages of such sizes as will be readily detected by any one. A man buys 

 what he takes to be a peck of peaches. He wants it to turn out a peck, and not 

 seven quarts. We ought to deal more directly with the consumer, and not 

 have so much of the profits absorbed by the middle men, and through defec- 

 tive handling, secure to the consumer an inferior article. I have gone into 

 this matter of more direct dealing with the retailers in small towns within my 

 reach, and have become quite well satisfied with the scheme. I know we are 

 met with the objection that we do not know who is reliable, but I have usually 

 got my information through the postmaster in the town I desired to place my 

 fruit, and as yet have had no cause to regret this method. Another means of 

 increasing profits is by erecting fruit houses. I have built one the past season, 

 and expect it will be of great value to me in tiding over gluts on the market, 

 as well as saving my winter fruit for late spring sales. 



A. D. Healy, South Haven : In a nut-shell we can increase our profits 

 more by cultivating better, pruning heavier, thinning more, using only honest 

 packages, and practicing honest packing. 



B. Gott, Arkona, Ontario: I think the last gentleman has just touched the 

 root of the whole matter. The employment of careful business principles in 

 the work of fruit growing, and niarketing will ensure much greater profits 

 than many of us get. 



P. C. Dempsey, Trenton: I think we have better promises for the future 

 than we have ever had before. Our trouble has not been to make money iu 

 years of scarcity, but to get margin enough in years of plenty to save our- 

 selves. With our improved methods of canning, preserving, dryin.f, and 

 packing away, I anticii^ate no recurrence of the difficulties of saving money 

 out of great crops that we have had heretofore. A surplus now means that 

 we will not only care for it, but make money out of it. 



Mr. Day, Ann Arbor: In red raspberries I see no reason for ever selling 

 them with small margins. If the market for fresh fruit begins to drop to a 



