anything that we now have in cultivation, and should they prove inferior, it is an easy 

 matter to top graft them with such varieties as we may prefer. Let us try to get an 

 apple that is as hardy, thrifty and productive as the Talman Sweet, and as good for ship- 

 ping, as the Baldwin, and with flavour as good as Coxes' Orange Pippin, and that will keep 

 equal to the Ben Davis. 



The person that will produce an apple that will possess all of these points, may be 

 called a benefactor, and it may be said of him, "he has lived a life of usefulness, and 

 his name will remain on the page of history." 



ADVANTAGES OF CROSS FERTILIZATION OR HYBRIDIZATION. 



What wonders have been achieved in the vegetable kingdom by cross fertilization 

 within our own memory. But are there not greater results to be achieved by this art as 

 time advances producing new and improved varieties of much superior excellence? In- 

 stances are so numerous of wonderful results being achieved by the application of this art 

 in the production of new vegetables, flowers and fruits, in Europe and the CJnited States, 

 as well as in Ontario, that it becomes our duty to encourage those who may feel disposed 

 to commence such an enterprise of so vast importance to the future of our fair Province. 

 Who, I ask you, that has seen the results of this art in Arnold's wheat, peas, corn, rasp- 

 berries, strawberries, grapes and apples ; A . M. Smith's raspberries and strawberries ; 

 Saunders' raspberries, gooseberries, grapes and many wild flowers crossed with cultivated 

 species ; Haskins', Mills' and others' grapes, and pears, the many improvements through- 

 out the world in the vegetable kingdom generally, can hesitate to say, that this is the art, 

 is the great secret and source of the wonderful success that has been achieved during the 

 last thirty or forty years ? The Hon. Marshall P. Wilder says, that this improvement is 

 all within the hand of man, to use it as he will, and that the field of progress is endless. 

 It is your duty, gentlemen, to occupy the ground. The same Divine Power that gave 

 us the almost infinite variety of plants and trees, also furnished them with the ability — 

 not only to perpetuate themselves, but under judicious treatment, and a wise selection of 

 parents, bo produce indefinitely still better varieties than we now possess. In a word, 

 we must depend mainly on the production from seed of fruits adapted to the various 

 portions of our vast territory. And what richer legacy can a man leave to the gener- 

 ations that are to follow him than a fine delicious fruit, which he shall have originated 

 by his own hand. This will be a living monument to his memory when posterity shall 

 recline beneath the shade of its branches and pluck the precious fruit from the treqs 

 ■which he has left them. 



PROGRESS OP YOUR ASSOCIATION. 



Twenty or more years past, your Association was organized in the City of Hamilton. 

 It was then called the Fruit Growers' Association of Upper Canada. I think the Hon. 

 Judge Logie was the first President. Among the officers of that day we find very few 

 surviving at the present time. There are, however, some among us yet. Charles Arnold, 

 Esq., of Paris, who still holds a position among you, was then the second Vice-President. 

 We find he has always done what he could to foster the interest of your Association. 

 D. W. Beadle, Esq., of St. Catharines, was the first Secretary,, and after looking over the 

 history of your Association with care, I am only able to say, that the present Secretary 

 lias been the best that we have ever had ; in fact, gentlemen, he is the Alpha and Omega thus 

 far. While looking over your reports for the last score of years, I, as one of you, feel like 

 congratulating him, for not only the amount of zeal which he has manifested, but for his 

 untiring labours, serving this Association in the same position for so many years. We 

 have several among us that have manifested an untiring zeal for the improvement of 

 ■fruits, vegetables and flowers, that have very kindly given their time for the advance- 

 ment of your Association. As the result of these labours, you have an increase of mem- 

 bership this year over the last of about seven hundred, a number that is not to be des- 

 pised, when we learn that many kindred Associations upon this continent do not number 

 more than one-third the amount. 



