478 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE - Off. Doc. 



be commended as iustitute woikeis for the puuctuality aud prompt- 

 uess with which you have responded to this program. Now we have 

 come to a time in this convention and the day in which we are 

 approaching its last session, and there have a number of suggestions 

 come to me regarding this lasi session. Trains leave during certain 

 hours this afternoon which will carry us to our homes, and in pre- 

 paring this program 1 regarded the topics to be discussed, miscella- 

 neously, as possibly of the most importance to the advancement of 

 the work in many ways, and I sincerely trust that whether this 

 session is continued for a length of time longer than is marked by 

 its numbers, that these questions have a place somewhere to be 

 discussed. 



Now, we want to get the voice of this convention as to the time 

 for final adjournment. As stated in the foot-note to the program, 

 this meeting is yours. If you desire to hold this session this after- 

 noon and one to-night, that meets my approval, I assure you. We 

 will then not have to enter upon the discussion of these topics now. 

 We want your voice upon this point. Shall we hold this after- 

 noon's session and a night session as well? 



(After considerable discussion it was decided to hold an afternoon 

 session to take up the questions set for general discussion upon the 

 program for Thursday afternoon.) 



MR. HERR: We have just closed one interesting subject here 

 which has not received the attention that it should. The subject 

 of fruit culture is a very important one. It was demonstrated by 

 our last year's crop of apples, and our State is a great fruit growing 

 country. We are just developing into one of the greatest fruit 

 states in the United States, and we can get something that is 

 worth money to us out of the discussion of fruits. There has been 

 great advancement made in fruit culture. I remember a few years 

 ago a man planted a very large orchard in our county, and the 

 one consideration that we have recently developed was lost sight 

 of simply because he planted his varieties in great blocks. While 

 he took great care, in planting and culture and growth of the trees, 

 he waited years and years without a crop of apples because he 

 neglected the idea that some varieties of apples needed polariza- 

 tion. The orchard went into other hands and run down and finally 

 some of the trees were taken out and other varieties planted in, and 

 last year they had an immense crop of apples. There is no acre on 

 the farm to-day that produces as well as an acre of fruit. The apple 

 acre is the most valuable of the farm. 



We are gradually developing on some other lines. We find some 

 varieties of fruit run out sooner than others. I had a nice lot of 

 York Imperial apples damaged last fall. I would like to see these 



