ANNUAL MEETING AT LEXINGTON. 247 



EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



Hon. W. W. Hatch at the first session of the Forty-ninth Congress 

 introduced a measure with this title : 



"A bill to establish agricultural experiment stations in connection 

 with the colleges established in the several States under the provision 

 of the act approved July 2, 1862, and of the acts supplementary 

 thereto." 



I think that this is a very important measure and one which should 

 jeeeive the hearty support of every fruit grower and farmer. It pro- 

 vides for sl5,000 yearly for the college in every State. Just what we 

 need. 



A resolution should be introduced giving the sense of this society 

 and asking Mr. Hatch to bring the bill up at once on the assembling of 

 Oongress. 



CONDITION OF FRUITS. 



The past year has been one of extremes. We have had the cold- 

 est winter, the hottest summer; the rainiest time and the dryest time; 

 the wettest spring and the longest time without rain, the best of pros- 

 pects and the blasting of them. 



Yet in spite of all these extremes we have had better success than 

 we had expected, and when we see the small results in some of our 

 undertakings we can only compare them with all other businesses and 

 see that we have been bettei; favored than many of the others. The 

 man that grew wheat hardly recovered his expenses, the man that 

 .grew corn had the prospect ruined by the long and protracted drouth, 

 the man that grows stock finds that with the diseases, the cold winter, 

 the long drouth and the low prices, he is not making it very profitable. 

 So then with all the discouragements and all the drawbacks we find 

 the fruit grower is as much favored, or more so than any other class of 

 producers. 



Our late apples, although not Tip to the standard, yet if we care- 

 fully handle them and hold them, we will get good prices for them yet. 

 They are scarce at most of the points in the east and they are now en- 

 quiring for apples all over our country. Take good care of them and 

 you will yet receive a fair price. 



I believe that last year was the only one for a long time when 

 apples were worth less in the spring than in the winter. Some who 

 bought and some who held did so to their sorrow. But this year I 

 Ihink we shall yet get fair prices for our apples. 



