WESTKK.N \i-.\v YORK IlouTicfi/rriiAL SOCIETY 719 



this state, and the enviable place the society occupies today among 

 .similar organizations, agricultural experiment stations, and col- 

 leges of agriculture in the United States and Canada, constitute 

 the highest testimonial to the sixty years of intelligent and suc- 

 cessful effort consecrated to the cause which it has long repre- 

 sented and still represents. 



The circular letter which called into existence the institution of 

 which we write read as follows: 



A Pomological Society for Western New York 



A meeting of the fruit growers and nurserymen of Western New York will 

 be held at the Court House in the city of Rochester, on Tuesday, February 

 27, 1855, at two o'clock p. M., for the purpose of organizing a pomological 

 society to embrace all the counties lying west of and including Onondaga. 



The culture of fruits in this region is becoming an important branch of 

 industry, and the projected society cannot fail to exert a powerful influence 

 in advancing its interests. 



At that meeting an organization was effected, constitution and 

 by-laws adopted, and the following gentlemen paid their dues and 

 were enrolled as charter members : 



Patrick Barry, George Ellwanger, D. D. T. Moore, H. E. 

 Hooker, 0. T. Cherry, G. H. Cherry, James Vick, Jr., Joseph 

 Frost, Ira Belden and Moses Long, Rochester; John B. Eaton 

 and William R. Coppock, Buffalo; William P. Townsend and 

 Claudius L. Hoag, Lockport; C. I. Ryan and Robert Donellan, 

 Greece ; John J. Thomas, Macedon ; Zerah Burr, Perinton ; H. P. 

 Norton, Brockport; Austin Pinney, Clarkson; Philip R. Freeoff, 

 Auburn. 



Shortly after the launching of the society the late celebrated 

 Charles Downing became a member and an ardent supporter. 



The first officers elected were: President, John J. Thomas, 

 Macedon. Vice-Presidents, Lewis F. Allen, Buffalo; H. P. Nor- 

 ton, Brockport; E. W. Leavenworth, Syracuse. Secretary, John 

 B. Eaton, Buffalo. Treasurer, William P. Townsend, Lockport. 



As an illustration of the earnestness and enthusiasm of these 

 pioneer fruit growers, we quote from the record of 1855 a few 

 of the entries in the fruit exhibit at that meeting: 



Lewis F. Allen 26 varieties apples, 13 of pears, 7 of plums. 

 Wm. R. Coppock 29 varieties pears, 5 of apples. 



