STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 1Q3 



while the wood is young and sappy, and growing rapidly, even the wood 

 of Red Cedar is not durable. 



I read Mr. Mathews' account and explain it in tliis way : the sap- 

 wood of young trees is not durable; an oak sapling two inches through 

 has no real wood at all, and will soon rot in the ground. Just so with 

 his young larches — the sap-woo<l will soon rot. 



The discussion was arrested at this point by an announcement by 

 the President that the time tor adjournment had arrived. 



Mr. HA^rMO^•D moved that the subject of the Utilizing of Fruits 

 be made the order for the evening session ; which was agreed to. 



On motion the Society adjourned. 



SECOND DAY. 



EVENING SESSION. 



President Starr announced that the special order of business for 

 the evening was the report from Committee on the Utilization of Fruits. 



Mr. ScoFiELD said that he had received a paper from Professor 

 McAfee, a member of the Committee, and requested that it be read by 

 the Secretary, as follows : 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UTILIZING FRUITS— CHEMISTRY 



OF DECAY. 



BY H. H. M'AFEE. 



No question of economy is of greater importance to the fruit pro- 

 ducer, than that of how to preserve fruits in their ripe condition, so that 

 their use may be e.xtended over the whole circle of the year, thus making 

 his products take on the character of a staple merchandise, rather than 

 that of a periodical commodity. And the interests involved not only 

 touch the professional i)roducer, but ecjually aflect the consumer who 

 produces his own supply, together with the purcha'ser in the general 

 market. 



To arrest decay, — always impending decay, — and save for a season 

 the products of the orchard and garden ! What more desirable object .' 

 More especially since those products have grown in our domestic life, 

 from luxuries to conveniencies, and finally, since their healthfulness and 

 economy are so well pro\en, even to necessaries. 



How shall we secure the noble apple for a season from the myriads 

 of spores, — active, deadly enemies, floating in every breeze, and ready 

 to lodge and grow whenever favorable conditions arise, and to send their 

 raycelia rioting among the luscious cells to disorganize, breakdown, and 

 destroy, transforming grateful juices, delicious flavors, delicately enticing 

 aroma, to the " gall of bitterness " and the " corruption of decay " .-' 



