PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING. 157 



peddlers should be required to pay more. The country is not half sup- 

 plied with good fruit, but is covered with trash. I am a friend and 

 defender of the commission merchant within all reasonable limits. There 

 are, of course, dishonest men in the business, but they will average better 

 than the fruitgrowers. They have to be honest or they are soon found out 

 and have to quit. I speak from a watchful experience of twenty years in 

 South Water-st. Eight or ten years ago I selected a man whom I thought 

 suitable, packed my fruit honestly, so that it is throughout as it appears 

 on the surface (not different from its apparent grade), and have kept con- 

 stantly with the same man. In times of glut it is only the good fruit that 

 will sell at all. We do not successfully combine, because we suspect one 

 another; but I do not know why we do this unless we know ourselves to 

 be dishonest. 



Mr. Lawton: Two years ago we formed an association here and much 

 fruit went into it, all pooling and sending in car lots. The results were 

 about the same as if we had sent separately to commission men. Full 

 weight and quality were guaranteed, too. I think we are too near Chicago. 

 The commission men flock in and solicit so that it is hard to keep an associa- 

 tion together. 



Taking up the general subject of peach-growing, the society listened to 

 the following papers: 



PEACH CULTURE VS. GENERAL FARMING. 



I realize my inability to do justice to this subject, or to make apparent 

 its importance. Although I have bepn engaged to some extent in growing 

 peaches more than a quarter of a century, I have made so many mistakes, 

 and failed to learn so many valuable lessons, that I shall not expect to 

 enlighten experienced growers, but hope to offer some suggestions bene- 

 ficial to those who. without experience, may desire to engage in this 

 industry. 



Many locations in our vicinity, the northeastern part of Van Buren 

 county, only wait development to yield (even some small fields) more 

 profit annually than the entire farm of forty or eighty acres, in present 

 conditions, could be sold for. Even hundreds of acres in that vicinity, as 

 well as elevations in other parts of the county, now used for general farm- 

 ing, with little profit to the owners, could be utilized for fruitgrowing, 

 with much profit to the owner, and would employ profitably our young 

 people who are going out seeking other fields for employment. Such an 

 industry would soon require better and cheaper transportation facilities, 

 better highways, and more homes, all of which would add materially to the 

 general prosperity. 



Engagement in peach-culture with prospects of success requires several 

 favorable conditions, coupled with the same energy, attention, and intel- 

 ligently directed efforts required to secure success in other callings. With 



