JIKPORTS OF LOCAL SOCIETIE.S. 351 



miniDinin prices received for fruit would net more for tiic lime and money ex- 

 ])endcd than farm crops at ordinary prices, witli the majority of years return- 

 ing from three to five times as much. 



Tlie past year lias done more to convince me of the future steady price of 

 fruit than any other ono. thing since I became interested in the business. While 

 the general cry has been low prices in nearly everything produced or manufac- 

 tured, that of fruit has been fair to good. 



It was very common for growers during the past season to state they were 

 getting from 10 to 25 per cent better prices than expected. 



As to the relative supply and demand of these crops, I think it many times 

 in favor of the jiomologist. In fact, there is no one question connected with 

 the raising of fruit, about whicli I am so content as its future supply and de- 

 mand, for the reasons — 



1. Natural climate influences, with the clearing of the country, are reducing 

 the territory. 



2. Markets and the facilities for reaching them are rapidly increasing. 



3. The numerous enemies to tree and fruit will render both worthless, and 

 discourage a large number who allow fruit trees to stand on their places with- 

 out care or cultivation. 



4. The supply of perfect fruit will be left to those localities enjoying natural 

 advantages, and to individuals wdio are willing to light these enemies of trees 

 and fruit. 



5. The improvement in drying, canning, and preserving very largelv in- 

 creases the demand, esj-jccially for the more perishable sorts. 



6. The appetite for fruit is growing, and each year it is becoming more a 

 staple article of food. 



The pomologist is more of a commercial man than the agriculturist ; he has 

 to do with the shipment of his fruit, and with distant and different markets, 

 thus bringing him more in contact with other classes of business and with the 

 outside world, thus adding variety to his life and increasing the pleasure of his 

 occupation. 



There is one more contrast between pomology and agriculture to which I 

 would like to call your attention ; I will then leave this rpiestion to those who 

 will keep closer to it than I have, — it is this : I believe it to be an established 

 fact in every country that as they grow older the land accumulates in the hands 

 of the few, as owners, and the farms are worked by tenants and hired heli^. 



In fruit-growing sections the tendency seems to be to divide up into smaller 

 places, each owning his own homestead. To my mind this is a valuable feature, 

 for in proportion as the people own their own homes and share the responsibility 

 of society and government, in that proportion are they better citizens, socially 

 and morally, and our institutions are safer and more permanent. 



ADAPTATION OF OUE SOIL AND CLIMATE TO FEUIT GROWIXG. 



READ AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, JANUARY 7tii, BY I. S. LINDERMAN. 



Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Society : 



Our climate is a subject of the greatest importance to us, for upon the supe- 

 riority of that depends, to a great extent, our unequalled success in fruit grow- 

 ing. This subject has been discussed among us for years, both orally and 

 through the means of the press, and some may think it has become threadbare 

 at least, if not entirely exhausted. I hope, however, to be able to throw some 



