'V22 JJUAIU) <)1< A<;UICULTUltK. 



preparing for publication a list of the varieties of apples. Of course this 

 work will extend to other fruits later on. One can scarcely complete a 

 work of this kind, for many of the fruits will liave double or triple names, 

 that is several names for the same thing. It is nothing uncommon to 

 have a new wonder spring up in some part of the country and be pi'e- 

 sented to tlie puitlic at first-class prices, that will afterwards pi-ove to be 

 an old variety, and in this particular it sometimes amounts to fraud 

 and people are subjected to impositions. This work is to include the 

 whole list, giving first the leading name, and all of the other names that 

 it has. The name that comes first will ))e the name that is adopted by the 

 Government, and the other names will follow in their alphabetical order. 

 When this system is finished it will embrace at least fourteen thousand 

 names, including synonyms of course. I now have twelve thousand 

 written up for publication, and when 1 have finished, this witli the 

 •prefatory and explanatory pages will go to the printers and be published 

 for distribution. So much for this work. I am the special agent, the 

 special Fomological agent. I am special in every particular. We have 

 our regular clerks, but I am outside of all this. This is divided into a 

 number of special works. One of the most important, prol)ably, that is 

 now being done for the interest of the fruit grower, and those who sell 

 fruits, etc., as well as the consumer in directing him in regard to the 

 tests that are being made in matters of cold storage, and preservation of 

 fruits and shipping, of fruits, etc.. new methods of preparing them for 

 long shipments, etc. All of these things are being tested in a very careful 

 way and details are being published. We are learning how to save a 

 crop when we have it, how to preserve it, and how to get it to the best 

 market in the best shape. All of these questions are very important to 

 those engaged in fruit growing. I don't know that I wish to say anything 

 further than to express my sincere gratification in being able to be here. 

 We left Washington on Sunday afternoon, and were detained on the road. 

 This afternoon my grandson and I drove to the electric line and reached 

 here this evening. I will say further that I have been mentioned here as 

 one of the oldest members of the Society, and I must say that sometimes 

 men are born earlier than others, and are still younger. I consider myself 

 a boy yet, but really when this Society was organized I was present, and 

 I have been present at all of the meetings but two, and those were while 

 I was in 'Washington. I want to speak a word about the death of one of 

 our charter members, a man whom I held in high esteem— Mr. Calvin 

 Fletcher, who died recently. I have had no particulars. If I live until 

 your meeting next fall I would like to say something in regard to his 

 work in the Society. More recently than that even I have heard of the 

 death of Nicholas Ohmer. of Dayton. Ohio, who was almost as near to 

 me as one of my own people. He wrote me a letter shortly before his 

 death saying that if he lived until the 17th of April he would be eighty 

 years of age. I thought I would defer answering his letter until that 



