724 THE FRUIT INDUSTRY IN" NEW YORK STATE 



knows his business. The Geneva Experiment Station and the College of 

 Agriculture at Ithaca have helped him to solve many of his problems, and 

 the annual meetings of this society have been the clearing house where all have 

 met, and, by discussion and illustration, information has been gained to the 

 mutual profit of both. The research work of these hives of industry at Geneva 

 and Ithaca has been made more effective because of the close intimacy exist- 

 ing between them and this society 



I could recount incidents from the records of tnis organization which, in 

 the light of present knowledge, would cause a smile. Do the men who have 

 fallen heirs to so goodly a heritage think that the pioneers of those early days, 

 who were groping after light upon their problems in orchard management, 

 were old fogies? Nay, nay; they were men of large patience, unlimited faith 

 and strong determination; and men should be thankful to live in this day and 

 age when innumerable avenues of helpfulness invite the footsteps and brains, 

 and make tasks easier and efforts more successful than was possible to our 

 forebears. Here, again, W T C claim credit for the work of this society. 



I should have liked to review the progress made in combating insect and 

 fungus diseases, the general care of the orchard, and the advent and wide- 

 spread use of the spraying machine, etc., but time forbids. 



During my term of office two of the society's greatest benefactors have 

 crossed the river, but have perpetuated their names and their interest in our 

 work. We have the Barry donation of $2,000, from the interest of which the 

 Barry gold medal is to be awarded to the originator of a new fruit or orna- 

 mental tree, shrub, flowering plant or vegetable; and we have the George 

 Ellwanger donation of $1,000, from the interest of which are to be paid cash 

 prizes for the best-maintained private place, and for the best-maintained pri- 

 vate collection of large and small fruits. The outcome of these donations 

 was the raising of other moneys which gave a permanent fund of over $4,000. 



During the years that prizes were offered by the New York State Agri- 

 cultural Society for the largest and best collection of fruit exhibited at the 

 state fair by organizations, this society captured nearly $5,000 in cash 

 premiums. * * * 



Now, as to the future. Among the many problems yet to be solved may be 

 mentioned those of better transportation facilities, an advance in which has 

 been made, locally, during the past year; cooperation in its broadest sense; 

 better sorting and better packing by both grower and buyer, and such a 

 distribution of your products as shall make possible the supplying of every 

 man, woman and child in the land with the delicious, health-giving fruits of 

 vine and tree as produced in this* section of country, which has been so 

 peculiarly blessed by the Creator in its climate and soil and other agencies 

 which make it possible for you to grow fruit that is not surpassed in quality, 

 and much of it in color, by that grown in any other section of the United 

 States. 



Some of our oldest members have been removed by death: Claudius L. 

 Hoag, a charter member of the society; S. D. Willard, C. M. Hooker, and D. R. 

 Pease; also one of our youngest life members, J. Sumner Allis, son of 

 Mr. Clark Allis, whose grandfather was a member of this society. 



