390 BOAED OF AGMCULTURE. 



These being the possible results, is it prudent, is it proper, is it wise 

 to give publicity to practice? Will I not be blamed rather than thanked 

 for my effort? 



It is true that the purpose of our Society is to foster the profession of 

 horticulture in the State and to gather and promulgate information and 

 exchange experiences to that end. Yet, are we to do this to such extent 

 as to bring detriment to the business of the regular and faithful members 

 of the Society, who, in many cases— a majority, in fact— depend upon it 

 for a livelihood. 



It is all very well for our Hale Connecticut Yanlvee friend to come and 

 tell us Hoosiers how to malfe money growing apples. It's not going to in- 

 terfere with his Georgia peach business, but would we expect him to leave 

 his comfortable eastern home at this inclement season to give us particu- 

 lar and precise information regarding the profitable business and so in- 

 fluence our minds on the subject as to incite us to organize a big peach 

 gi'owing syndicate to rival his company in that industry? So I thinli re- 

 garding the present question. 



Our worthy secretary may have had this thought in mind when he 

 refrained from publishing the notice of our meeting in yesterday morn- 

 ing's papers. He is not to be blamed if he had. It is like giving out trade 

 secrets to invite the public in to hear all we know about growing, handling 

 and marketing fruit. 



But regarding this business of spraying, suppose we convince the in- 

 telligent reading farmers of the State of the possibility of gTOwing perfect 

 fruit in abundant quantities by means of thorough and judicious spraying 

 by the hands of men thoroughly posted in the business and fully prepared 

 for it, may we not expect many of them to reason with themselves some- 

 what after this manner: 



According to these horticultural people, fruit gTowing is an easy and 

 profitable industry, when carried on in a common sense and business-like 

 manner. Orchards, it appears, need only fairly good soil, but they require 

 some attention in the way of pruning, cultivation and spraying. These 

 things we farmers have not heretofore attended to. We have not pruned 

 and cultivated because we have lost our fruit on account of blight, fung- 

 ous gTowths and insects. These can be checked only by spraying, and that 

 we do not understand, and if we did we have not the time to do the work 

 and carry on our other business properly. But now comes one of these 

 theoretical fellows and persuades the State Society to encourage young 

 men to go into the business of spraying, and shows how it would pay 

 them to rig up and prepare an outfit for the work, and make contracts 

 with the farmers, at so much a tree— only a few cents each— to keep their 

 orchards well sprayed throughout the season, and insure them that so far 

 as fungi and insects are concerned, they shall have fair crops of perfect 

 fruit. The Society endorses the idea, and we believe there is a good deal 

 in it. At any rate, if such a man comes along next spring, we'll let him 

 talk us into contracting to spray our trees. 



