126 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[April, 



MORTICULTURAL fSoCIETIES. 



GOMMUNICA TIONS. 



POTOMAC FRUIT GROWERS— FEBRUARY MEET- 

 ING—GALA DAY. 



BY GEO. F. NEEDHAM. 



As at this meeting the officers elect were to be 

 installed, arrangements were made, at the last 

 meeting, for a social re-union to-day, and a good 

 time generally. 



On entering the rooms, your reporter was struck 

 with the ta-steful and profuse ornamentation with 

 evergreens. On the sample tables, there was a 

 good collection of fruits ; while on other tables 

 there was a sumptuous entertainment prepared 

 by the ladies. 



But I must lot your readers draw upon their 

 imaginations as to how the four pleasant hours 

 of the meeting were spent ; what with addresses 

 by the inaugurated, presentation of a symbolical 

 gavel to the retiring President, with an address 

 full of telling points, a poem by the Secretary, 

 readings, speeches, songs, hon mots, etc., a large 

 attendance and an abundant refreshment. 



On the sample tables were fruits as follows : 



0/ Apples. Abram, Albemarle Pippins, Cart- 

 house, Limbertwig, Rawle's Jenet, Spitzenburgs 

 (growth of Va.), Lady Apples (pronounced by 

 Judge Gray the Queen of apples), Roman Stems, 

 Willowtwigs, and "Winesops. 



Most of the fruit was grown in Virginia; Mary- 

 land and the District furnished each a variety. 



0/ Pears. Vicar of Winkfield, Lawrence, Glout 

 Morceau, and Beurre Easter. 



Maryland had the finest pears, though Virginia 

 the most varieties. 



A jar of persimmons, "preserved in sugar," were 

 tasted by all present, and pronounced to be 

 " good." 



Mrs. John Saul also sent to the exhibition a 

 beautiful stand of lovely flowers. 



The discourse of the President elect was well- 

 timed and pertinent to the occasion. I reproduce 

 one paragraph, which just now is of great in- 

 terest. 



" The want of the day is organized and system- 

 atic co-operation among fruit growers. Especi- 

 ally is this so in regard to all fruits that are des- 



ignated perishable. The past season having been 

 one of unusual productiveness in this middle re- 

 gion, has left on its records important lessons; 

 which, being dearly learned, should not be soon 

 forgotten. I allude to the hap-hazard way of 

 shipping fruits to particular points, without know- 

 ing the condition of the market there, in regard 

 to supply and demand. 



" You may remember that on a certain day 

 last summer Early Peaches were selling in New 

 York city for $2.00 per basket. That later in the 

 day a telegram announced one hundred car-loads 

 to arrive early next morning. As the market 

 would not bear more than half of this supply, the 

 result of this avalanche of fruit was that prices 

 fell to a figure less than freight commissions, and 

 remained demoralized for the entire season; and 

 thus the goose that was to lay the golden egg was 

 sacrificed. 



"There were probably one hundred shippers 

 owning these car-loads of peaches, and not one 

 of this number knew what was to be the extent 

 of the day's shipping. Each was anxious to 

 crowd his product on the market; all failed to 

 realize ajiything, and many had to pay balances 

 against themselves. These men were not novices, 

 but were practical and sagacious men, competent 

 for successful business ; but each did not know 

 what the other ninety-and-nine were doing. They 

 had no concert of action, no organized plan that em- 

 braced the common intered. 



"Now, let us suppose that these growers had 

 previously agreed that they would report to ' a 

 board of direction,' or a single shipping agent, 

 the quantity of fruit they would send forward on 

 a given day, and had given to this board or agent 

 full power to direct to the place of destination. 

 This agent could have learned by telegraph the 

 exact condition of the several markets; which 

 the one hundred could not know. He would 

 have been informed just where to ship, and how 

 much, and these car-loads could have been dis- 

 tributed in destitute markets between Boston and 

 Chicago and sold at satisfactory prices, and open- 

 ed to the producers new markets for the entire 

 season. 



" Is it not clear that co-operation would have 

 saved millions of dollars the past season ? And 



