90 ANNUAL REPORT. 



states and sold for sixteen dollars per barrel this j^resent winter. 

 This is wrong. Our society, our State Agricultural Society and 

 our legislature should all combine to bring about a different 

 state of affairs in some way, for I will assure you that our State, 

 or its citizens cannot afford to raise wheat for forty to eighty 

 cents per bushel to pay for cranberries at sixteen dollars per 

 barrel, wholesale, when we have a soil and climate that produced 

 them in abundance in their wila state before the cattle and other 

 causes destroyed them. The value of this crop and the demand 

 for it in all the cities of the United States and other countries, 

 and the ease and safety with which it can be shipped, and* in 

 consideration that it can be kept well in a perfectly fresh state 

 the year around, and the healthfulness of the fruit, all demand 

 that it should receive the best care and attention, and we with 

 others should encourage the cultivation of the cranberry as one 

 of our very best fruits adapted to our climate. 



Another great want of this society and the farmers of this 

 State, is a good, competent State entomologist who should be 

 located at the State university. Our agricultural papers should 

 circulate all the information he could give them, broadcast 

 throughout the State. Our insect enemies are almost too numer- 

 ous to mention and most of us are unable to distinguish our 

 friends from our foes^ we all need .information and should be 

 apprised of our worst enemies among insects and how to combat 

 them. They are many of them small but in many instances 

 will be satisfied with nothing less than three-fourths to seven- 

 eights of the entire crop. The expense would not need to be 

 much and I would recommend the appointment of a proper com- 

 mittee to bring the matter before the present legislature to ask 

 them to provide for the appointment of a State entomologist in 

 the interest of the entire State. If their interest in fruit growing 

 is not enough the chintz bug, the potato beetle, the grasshopper 

 and the Hessian fly, and many other insects that trouble the 

 farms as well as gardens and fruits, should all act as inducements 

 for them to help us and themselves at the same time. 



In former years it has been customary for this society to ap- 

 point a committee to visit, examine and report to this society, 

 the State university farm. State experimental farm, and I 

 would add, the State reform school, and in that way much can 

 be learned through our report which receives a large circula- 

 tion. At one time the State reform school took a great interest 

 and made a good exhibit at our State fairs in both horticulture 



