Winter Meetin p". 277 



"is 



The Orchard Question 



Is the great question for us to consider. It does seem to me that more and 

 more serious questions arise which are hard to settle and, when once set- 

 tled to our satisfaction, they come up another year to unsettle us once 

 more. This past year has been one of these times and we must confess 

 ourselves at a loss for some of our theories and practice. The drouth,. 

 the cold, and again the drouth has put us at our wit's end to know what 

 best to do in all cases. Our experiences must be kept in mind, not only 

 for one year, but for a series of years, before we can be sure of results. 

 We too quickly jump at conclusions and are not willing to wait until facts 

 will justify a conclusion. If we will only remember what Dr. Laws of 

 England says, we would not be so hasty in giving as facts, simple ex- 

 periments. He says that "no result can be proven until 30 years' expe- 

 rience justifies it." How differently do we act. 



No season like the last have we ever had which seems to enforce the 

 idea of more care in the selection of our trees before planting. 



The wonderful difference in the color and size and quality of some 

 of our varieties seems to show more and more conclusively that certain 

 strains in varieties perpetuate their characteristics 'as surely as do varie- 

 ties. I believe this to be true, and, if true, then I wish to again emphasise 

 the points I made in my report at*the Trenton meeting, "That we should 

 always select special trees to get the specially desirable qualities we wish to 

 propagate." Add to this then the other strong point, "Good seedlings 

 from selected fruit of the best hardy varieties, and select seeds from this 

 fruit," which we should always use, and I think we have more than half 

 our "orchard question" settled. 



Good seedlings grown from well selected seed, taken from the best 

 and most perfect fruit, from the most productive and best trees, and these 

 •roots grafted with scions taken from special individual trees having the 

 best color, most tmiform fruit of the best quality from the most produc- 

 tive and hardy trees will surely give us results that will surprise and de- 

 light our hearts and fill our pockets. 



Samuel Miller and A. Xelson, Second Vice-President and Treasurer, 

 died so closely to one another that it seems like a single funeral but a 

 double loss. The first time in our history that two deaths among our of- 

 cers while on duty has ever occurred. 



Judge Miller's name has been an household word for so long a time 

 that we hardly remember when it was not. He was a man wholly devoted 

 to his profession of Horticulture. No more unselfish man ever lived' in 

 our State, and among fruit growers, noted for their unselfishness, he 



