106 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



supply US with in such abundance and luscious (luality. Therefore, 

 it is that we are glad to have you with us, and to give you the op- 

 portunity of sampling I'ittsburg's hospitality, which has the general 

 reputation of being about the best to be met with in the land. It 

 has been about 35 years now, I believe, since Pittsburg has had the 

 pleasure of entertaining the State Horticultural Society of Penn- 

 sylvania, it being that long ago when the society last met in this 

 city. For that reason we want to make your present visit with us a 

 memorable one iu every respect, and desire that when you leave us 

 for your homes at the conclusion of the business which draws you 

 here, you will take away ^^'ith you the most pleasant remembrances 

 of your visit to Pittsburg as well as the united opinion that your 

 forty-first annual meeting was the very best in the history of your 

 honorable society. 



"The more plentiful our supply of fruit is the more healthful, as 

 well as the longer and the happier life it means for us all, so that 

 humanity is greatly indebted to the fruit grov.er, one of the grandest 

 as well as one of the most grateful and beneficial enjoyments of life. 

 Despite, therefore, the evil brought upon mankind as the result of 

 Eve eating the forbidden fruit, mankind lias been very largely 

 blessed by the labors of the fruit grower. 



''Once more bidding you a very cordial welcome to Pittsburg, I 

 will say good morning, and leave you to the hospitable care of the 

 Gardeners' and Fruit Growers' Association of Allegheny County 

 and the Florists' Club of Pittsburg, your iiarticular hosts during your 

 stay in the city, with tlie firm belief that they will do as well by you 

 in making your visit a pleasant one as we all expect them to." 



RESPONSE TO ADDRESS OF WELCOME, BY PRESIDENT S. B. HEIGES. 



In behalf of our society, Mr. Mayor, it allords me great pleasure 

 to accept your cordial and hospitable welcome. I have been a mem- 

 ber of tills Association for 37 years. It was organized as the "Fruit 

 Growers' Society of Eastern Pennsylvania," and we now realize that 

 we ought years ago to have made greater efforts to awaken an inter- 

 est in our work in the western part of the State. 



I do not know a better field for horticulture and fruit growing 

 than Western Pennsylvania. I have been in institute work, both 

 farmers' and teachers', in everv countv of the Commonwealth. I 

 have serv(.>d on the State Board of Agricullure in the Slate, and I 

 know there are immense fields open for the energetic and industrious 

 horticulturist. I have made this question somewhat of a study, and 



