WINTER MEETING. 181 



is naturally found, to be communicated from man to man, and by the members 

 and through the press to the great and good world at large. 



It is well that we neglect not the assembling of ourselves together, for the 

 young may die and the aged must. How then are they to impart their intelligence 

 ere they go, unless it is at your great annual meetings ? How shall they drop their 

 mantles upon those who are left behind, unless they tell us of the good they have 

 learned, and instruct us also in wisdom's ways? I know that my own dear father's 

 most earnest wish is to first learn— and the learning involves toil, expense and care- 

 ful observation and study — then to impart what he has learned, that his fellow- 

 farmers and fruit-growers of this great State may not only know how much he has 

 done, but the means by which it was accomplished, and thus be able to go and do 

 likewise. But he is not alone: there are hundreds of earnest souls in the ranks 

 just as enthusiastic and unselfish, for is it not the theme of the tiller of the soil 

 that 'tis for his fellow, not himself, that he labors ? In your representative press 

 you have a marvelous power for good, for it is earnest, enterprising and indefati- 

 gable, planning and contriving both early and late, in season and out of season, for 

 the good of the ciu?e and the benefit of all. May you have a grand meeting, one 

 that shall long be remembered in the annaJs of horticulture in the State as "the 

 noblest of them all." 



Thursday, Dec. 7, 9 a. m. 



Meeting called to order, and opened with prayer by N. F. Murray. 

 The following committees were appointed : 



On Fruits— G.F. Egpenlaub, D.A.. Robnett, C. A. KeflFer and E. L. Pollard. 



On Finance— N. F. Murray, S. W. Gilbert and R. J. Bagby. 



On Obituary — J. Ames, Sam'l Miller and J. J. Kaiser. 



On Final Resolutions— C. C. Bell, L. T. Kirk and A. J. Davis. 



On Agriculture — A. J. Blake, John Wilcox and D. M. Dualap. 



STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 



BY HENRY SCHNELL, GLiSGOW. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Oentlemen: 



The subject assigned to me as per program is "The Strawberry, Soil, Culti- 

 Yation, Varieties, Rust." While I have been growing strawberries for market for 

 14 or 15 years with fair success, I am certain I could talk to you on the subject at 

 home in the patch, and make it more interesting for you than to write and read a 

 paper. 



The strawberry stands at the head of the list of small fruits. It can be grown 

 in every part of the United States, from Maine to California, and from the Gulf of 

 Mexico to the extreme north in Canada. It scarcely ever fails to make at least a 

 partial crop. We have never known it to fail entirely. It is one of the most health- 

 ful of all fruits. It ripens at a time when other fruit is scarce, and is the first to 

 ripen in the season, the most luscious of all, and we may add, the easiest grown ; 

 still, so many who might have a bountiful supply, with a small outlay and a little 

 care, do without entirely, or buy a few occasionally. We ofcen hear persons say 

 that they can buy their berries cheaper than to "bother with growing them," 

 With some we are quite certain this is the case, as the quantity they buy does not 

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