ANNUAL WINTER MEETING. 51 



are today raising to a profit abundant crops of all the fine, 

 hardy varieties of small fruits, unsurpassed in richness of 

 color and sprightliness of flavor. 



WILD FRUITS. 



We are very glad to report that there is concerted effort be- 

 ing made by some of our leading horticulturists in the north- 

 west, and Mr. VanDeman, pomologist at Washington, in seek- 

 ing information and giving close investigation to discover all 

 the finer species of wild fruits . Already many choice varieties 

 have been discovered, and these will be placed in the hands of 

 careful experimenters for further development. Prof. VanDe- 

 man thinks there is no field of pomology more promising of good 

 results than this, and I hope each and all interested in the pro- 

 gress of the great fruit industry, will give hearty co-operatien 

 by reporting any old or newly discovered varieties growing in 

 our state worthy of cultivation, thus rendering the much needed 

 aid to the work in which there are such large possibilities for 

 improvement. 



SMALL FRUITS. 



If there is any one industry that should be given greater en- 

 couragement and more thoughtful investigation, it is this — so 

 full of possibilities for increasing the prosperity of our rural 

 population all over the state. But some one will say, "Why not 

 let the fruit specialist raise the fruit, and the wheat specialist 

 the wheat, and the cattle, horses, swine and sheep all be pro- 

 duced by specialists? Some men can concentrate their brain 

 and brawn on one particular kind of work, while the larger 

 number of our well-to-do, enterprising citizens are only pos- 

 sessed of qualifications for a more diversified pursuit. 



Nearly all varieties of small fruits have been fruitful the past 

 year, but the crop has been variable in quantity; some .kinds, 

 in certain localities, have given very small returns, which in 

 others have yielded abundant harvests . The reason why there 

 has been so great a diversity in the crop yield should be a sub- 

 ject for our careful investigation, that this may in the future, 

 if possible, be avoided. 



Prices for all varieties of fruits have been on the whole re- 

 munerative and this with an unusually large importation of all 

 kinds from abroad. Our markets on several occasions were 

 overstocked with shipped fruits, but home-grown, fair in 

 quality, nearly always maintained good average prices. A few 

 early strawberries appeared in the market, from the south, 



