84 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



result in the "junk" that ruins our markets, alienates the consumer, 

 causes loss to the dealer, and ultimately reacts upon the producer. 

 And I want to speak to you about it, not because you are any, more 

 guilty than anyone — perhaps not so much — I don't know — but because 

 I believe it lies in the power of people like yourselves to absolutely pre- 

 vent the evil and because I have the best interests of the apple industry 

 at heart. 



We are not measuring up to responsibilities. We are not proving 

 ourselves worthy of this magnificent commodity which we grow and 

 handle. I sometimes think, yes, I know, we are blinded to the finer 

 points of horticulture and the finer points of the fruit which we handle. 

 We are blinded by a variety of causes, a general spirit of don't care, 

 a familiarity with the great things about us which leads us to take 

 them as a matter of course, and at times by an over-reaching greed, 

 which does over-reach itself and not only prevents us from attaining 

 the high mark we ought to but actually returns less in dollars and cents. 

 You as growers are creators, working in harmony with Divine laws. 

 You bring into being an apple out of mother earth and dew and rain 

 and light and darkness, and the warmth of days and the cool of evening, 

 plus the energy and intelligence which are yours. You catch the ele- 

 ments of earth and air, and mind and body, and out of all these form a 

 new substance which we call an apple, with sunshine of its cheek and 

 joy in its heart. And to this extent you are a part of divinity. There 

 is no existence more independent, and no vocation which calls for 

 more of the whole man. To produce a perfect apple requires the Al- 

 mighty plus a Man. I therefore submit we should recognize that we are 

 co-workers in an undertaking which should appeal to our finer in- 

 stincts as well as to the material side. 



Coming to the more material aspect, within the last few years thou- 

 sands of acres and trees by the million have been set in 

 every state where it was imagined a tree would grow. Old 

 orchards have been reclaimed, pruning, cultivation, fertilizing 

 and spraying have been practiced as never before. The invest- 

 ments in orchards are not very great, and by all walks of life from the 

 clerk and the teacher, the doctor and lawyer and minister to the legiti- 

 mate or real fruit grower. The capacity for production has been in- 

 creased until it was undoubtedly never greater. Production under nor- 

 mal conditions must be expected to continue on a much larger scale. 



You thus have not only a noble calling, the inherent merits and 

 responsibilities of which I trust may appeal to you more and more, 

 hut there is also a vast financial investment in orchards throughout 

 Ihis broad land which every true man and every man having the in- 

 terests of his country and fellowmen at heart is bound to preserve and 

 conserve to the limit of human endeavor. 



Now what are some of the ways in which this can be accomplished? 

 There are two principles which stand out above all others, — first — 

 abolish junk, and second, advertise. 1 shall say but very little about 

 the second at this time, because we are now primarily interested in the 

 first. 



I said a little while ago that to produce a perfect apple requires 

 the Almighty, plus a Man. And, based solely upon experience, I have 



