Summer Meeting. 2g 



The other herries did well and the crop was generally satisfactory. 



Grapes produced an enormous crop- Cherries, Plums and Pears 

 were only partial crops but brought fair prices in general. 



The great work of the society and every member of it since our 

 last meeting has been to get ready for the fruit display at our great 

 exposition. In spite of th€ great failure of our crop last fall we have a 

 large fine lot of apples on our tables and a still larger and finer lot in 

 cold storage. To the members of this society is due the honor of this 

 collection, for, with but few exceptions, have we had collections made by 

 any other persons than by our members and although our commissioners 

 were liberal in paying for all this fruit yet it is to the honor of our 

 society that it is said that nine-tenths of all our fruit was collected by 

 the members of the society. 



The work of installation and our display in general has been a 

 slow and tedious one, because of its complicated nature, and various dis- 

 appointments by the workmen in its construction. Even today we have not 

 been able to get the electric power turned on or the connection made 

 so as to have our train running, in spite of the fact that all is ready, and 

 has been ready for the power for two or three weeks, and in spite of the 

 promises tliat we should have it tomorrow — ever tomorrow. To me 

 this delay has been a very provoking part of the work. 



To the members of our society have 1 to give credit for the possi- 

 bility of collecting and making this display of fruits. O'f the many hun- 

 dreds of boxes of strawberries already put on the tables, all or nearly all 

 are the results of direct efi'ort of this society and its members. Some days, 

 five or six or more crates of berries were received and put on the tables 

 and, in nearly every instance, were they either furnished, or collected by 

 the members of this society. 



The question of hardiness of our fruit and their ability to withstand 

 the cold of spring is a question that is coming to our attention more 

 and more and one that needs close investigation. The question of lo- 

 cation of our orchards and the soil in which they are planted and char- 

 acter of the subsoil under them, are matters that need study and thought 

 and observation. Our eyes, and ears, and minds need to be kept open 

 to facts and experiences which are taking place about us continually. 



All these matters are being investigated by our Agricultural Col- 

 lege and Experiment Station more closely each year so that we may be 

 sure of results and knowledge in a few years, that will work greatly to 

 our advantage. 



The dust process of spraying and keeping rid of insects and diseases, 

 has probably come in for more inquiry than any other new subject before 



