112 ANNUAL REPORT. 



and here is Mr. Underwood. Not only the experimental stations 

 are used, but there are orchardists all over the country who are 

 at it, and I venture to say that within three years we can pur- 

 chase five hundred new seedlings without any effort at all. If 

 any better means can be devised I would like to see it intro- 

 duced. I am opposed to committees because they sometimes 

 clash together. We have seedling committees and they are to 

 make a report here. 



Mr. Sias. Before the discussion on seedlings, would it not be 

 well to call for the report of the Seedling Committee? 



Mr. Smith. With the consent of the second I will withdraw 

 that part of my motion that a committee be appointed on seed- 

 lings and move instead that the Seedling Committee be in- 

 structed, etc. 



Mr. Shannon. I think there are perhaps others like myself 

 who live out in the western part of the State and are not very 

 thoroughly informed as to these new varieties. It seems to me 

 this information in regard to seedlings ought to be very widely 

 distributed. In the country where I live I think I am visited 

 by about every fruit man that comes through the country; and 

 I find that no two men sell the same trees. They all make a 

 specialty of something and generally the speciality amounts to 

 nothing. If information could be sent out on which the people 

 could rely it seems to me it would be of great benefit. They 

 will buy everything that comes along when they see the cut of 

 the fruit, not knowing what they are buying, and as a rule it 

 amounts to nothing. 



Mr. Harris. We established a standing committee on seed- 

 ling fruits either in '80 or '81; and the next year there was some 

 discussion on the subject and a vote taken by the society that it 

 should be the duty of the Seedling Committee, when they heard 

 of anything that would apparently be promising, to go out and 

 examine and report upon it, their actual expenses in going and 

 coming to be paid by the society, and we should act on such in- 

 formation. I think it was designated what territory we should go 

 over; and that was the arrangement for two years; I think it 

 will be found in the report of our transactions. I believe some 

 members of the Seedling Committee are present and are ready 

 to report if called upon. 



President Smith. Perhaps we had better hear their report 

 before taking definite action. 



