206 EXPERIMENT STATION KECORD. 



In a paprr untitlrd Sliould the Coiiinu-rcial (irowcr Plant Varieties of High Qual- 

 ity? (r. T Towell called attention to thi- great desirability and profit in growing 

 fruit of liigli quality. Fruit of poor <juality lessens the desire of the i)ublic for fruit, 

 thus greatly affecting the demand. 



The provisions and working of the Canadian fruit-inspection law passed in 1901 

 were explained by W. A. McKinnon, Chief of the Fruit Division of the Canadian 

 Deijartuient of Agriculture. The law requires that the name and address of the 

 grower be placed on every closed package of fruit, as well as a mark showing the 

 grade. It is required that first-grade fruit shall consist of well-grown, nearly uniform 

 specimens, well colored and uniforndy packed. Ninety per cent of any package 

 must be sound and free from worms or disease. If the fruit is packed so that more 

 than 15 per cent is inferior to the facing, it is declared a misdemeanor. Under the 

 terms of the law inspectors are empowered to enter all premises and inspect all 

 packed fruit. They have the right to detain shipments until inspected, and to mark 

 on the package the character of the fruit, but can not confiscate it. They are subject 

 to fine if they exceed their authority by unnecessarily delaying shipment. The 

 results of the policy of fruit inspection in Canada have been very gratifying. Con- 

 fidence has been restored in British markets and the export trade developed wonder- 

 fully as a result of the act. 



Dr. W. D. Bigelow, of the Bureau of Chemistry of this Department, discussed 

 Pure Food Legislation and its Relation to the Fruit Grower, calling attention to the 

 various methods used in adulterating jellies and other fruit products, and urging the 

 desirability of a Federal law compelling the correct labeling of all fruit i^roducts. A 

 resolution favoring such a law was adopted by unanimous vote. 



Other papers read were as follows: Fruit Gardens, J. H. McFarland; Pomology at 

 the St. Louis World's Fair, F. W. Taylor; The San Jose Scale in the Orient, C. L. 

 Marlatt (E. S. R., 14, p. 535); judgmg Fruits by Scales of Points, F. A. Waugh; 

 Waste in Apples, W. R. Lazenby (E. S. R., 15, p. 43); Fruit Culture in the Pacific 

 Northwest, S. W. Fletcher. One evening was given up to the discussion of ideals in 

 pomology and another to the progress of pc^mology in America during the past fifty 

 yeai's. 



The Ad Interim Committee on Examination of New Fruits, which has been estab- 

 lished since the last biennial meeting, made its first report. The committee is com- 

 posed of 50 members, headed by a general chairman and divided into 7 subcommittees 

 of a chairman and 6 members each. Each subcommittee has jurisdiction over a cer- 

 tain class of fruits. It is their duty to examine and pass upon the merits of such 

 seedling fruits as shall be entered and furnished by originators for examination when 

 the fruit- is in proper condition. The committee reported that 33 entries had been 

 received during the year. A variety of peach from Georgia was named the Hiley, 

 after the originator, and was awarded a Wilder medal. 



A committee was appointed to prepare fruit score cards that may be used for judg- 

 ing fruits in the society's work and also at the coming World's Fair at St. Louis. 



Additional by-laws were adopted by the society providing for a standing commit- 

 tee which shall re^wrt biennially on injurious insects and diseases of pomological 

 importance. 



One of the most important reports at the meeting was that of the special committee 

 on revision of the rules of nomenclature, appointed at the Philadelphia meeting four 

 years ago, which was adopted. The chief provisions of this report were as follows: 



Rule 1. No two varieties of the same kind of fruit shall bear the same name. The 

 name first published for the variety shall be the accepted and recognized name, 

 except in cases where it has been applied in violation of this code. In explanation 

 of this rule the paramount right of the originator, discoverer, or introducer of a new 

 variety to name it within the limitation of this code is recognized and emphasized. 



