552 ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Association have done some buying in a co-operative way and we 

 are looking forward to the time when the organization may both 

 buy and sell for the benefit of its members. It is our hope that 

 through uniformity of package and strictest honesty in packing, the 

 brand of our Association may become known and sought for in the 

 markets of the world. 



Uur membership now numbers nearly eighty and we have started 

 into the new year with the determination to make ii one hundred. 



In December, just past, occurred our first annual convention, a 

 three day meeting, addressed by prominent scientific and practical 

 men from our own and neighboring states. These men left with us 

 many rich bits of advice and experience and their work was highly 

 appreciated. 



Our regular monthly meetings are held in the borough of Benders- 

 ville, on the second Saturday of each month and we shall always be 

 more than glad to have anyone interested in fruit — be they producer 

 or consumer — to meet with us and join in an exchange of views and 

 experiences. 



It is our earnest wish that fruit growers all other the State may 

 visit us and that they may see in our work that which will encourage 

 them to form, in their home communities, other Associations along- 

 similar lines. Let us go still farther and hope that some day these 

 county associations may be brought together into a strong co-opera- 

 tive State organization and when that day comes, may we not also 

 hope that the State Horticultural Society of Penna. shall form the 

 foundation and center about which we may gather and build. 



DR. KOONS. — I think the idea of organizing county societies and 

 making them contributory to State organization, a very good one. 

 This is a small gathering for a State society, and its membership and 

 usefulness should be greatly extended by the organization of county 

 and local societies in every county in the State. 



PROF. SURFACE.— It has been well said that this is a small rep- 

 resentation, for a State society, but withal there are many counties 

 represented. This means that the gospel of good news will be car- 

 ried to many homes, and become widely disseminated. Such organi- 

 zations present many advantages to the fruit grower, one of the most 

 important of which is buying and selling co-operatively, a matter of 

 great importance. If horticultural or fruit grower's societies were 

 organized in every county, meetings could be so arranged that lec- 

 turers and members could go from one to the other conveniently, thus 

 ensuring a good attendance and continued interest. Experiences 

 could be exchanged, reports of successes and failures compared, and 

 interesting discussions brought out, 



One of the great mistakes of our Pennsylvania fruit growers is 

 the planting of too many varieties. Instead of 15 varieties of apples, 

 I would not plant more than four if planting a commercial orchard. 

 Many fail because of improper care of trees, and from a lack of 

 knowledge of how to pick, store, pack and ship properly. We need 

 to disieminate information along these lines if we hope to secure any 

 ■tanding for our fruit products in the markets of the world. I hope 

 to see the example set by Adams, Berks and Wyoming counties, 

 emulated by every county in the State.- 



