IXDIA^TA HOETICULTDEAL SOCIETY. 



423 



know of fruit lands in our State tlaat are made to net their cost yalue 

 each year from the sale of fruits grown thereon, and they are priced at 

 from $100 up per acre. 



The soil and climatic conditions of Indiana for fruit growing are equal 

 to the average of the country, while our nearness to large markets gives 

 us a great advantage over many other fruit-growing States. With a net- 

 work of electric lines covering a large area of our State, the trolley ex- 

 press, rural mail delivery and most important of all, the parcel post that 

 is coming next to handle our lighter and more valuable products quickly 

 and cheaply, the Indiana land owner has bright prospects before him in 

 commercial horticulture. 



The best business in sight today for energetic, educated young men 

 and women, if they love the soil and trees and plants that can be grown 

 thereon, is commercial horticulture on Indiana lands adapted to fruit cul- 

 ture. 



The State now ajipropriates the sum of $1,500 to advance the interests 

 of horticulture. This Society has the management and control of this 

 fund. At the end of each year we are required to show where and how 

 this money has been expended. I think the time has come when we 

 should make an effort to get out into some new paths that may lead to a 

 more rapid development of the fruit industry. To this end I would sug- 

 gest that such sections of our State as ai-e specially adapted to the grow- 

 ing of any kind of fruit be advertised as liberally as our means will al- 

 low, thus informing the world what we have, what we can do, as well as 

 the cheapness of available lands. 



Apple storage has become one of the most important features of the 

 fruit industiy. It enables the fruit-grower to have a good market for 

 his products the year round instead of about seven months in the year. 

 The gi'ower and handler must learn what varieties are suitable for stor- 

 age and what are not, what conditions must be provided to secure the 

 best and most economical results, and at what time and under what con- 

 ditions the different varieties must be put upon the market. Our experi- 

 ence at the World's Fair has shown us that apples are exceedhigly vari- 

 able in length of keeping. Some varieties cannot be placed in cold storage 

 profitably at all. The problem of selecting varieties and storing them 

 properly is, therefore, a complex one and this Society should take the 

 matter in hand and solve it in so far at least as the producer is inter- 

 ested. 



The matter of getting the producer and consumer as near together as 

 possible should be looked into carefully and every encouragement possible 

 extended to those who are operating commercial orchards. 



I think our funds will justify it, and the importance of our fruit in- 

 terests demand that we empower our Secretary to give his entire time to 

 this work, the same to be carried on under the instruction and advice of 



