67 



the matter that I was asked to bring to the attention of your 

 Association. Perhaps some of you know, perhaps others do 

 not, that about two months ago a special meeting was 

 called by the American Pomological Society to take up the 

 matter of organizing all the horticultural interests of the 

 country. It was first thought it would be a good thing to 

 reorganize the old American Pomological Society. I do not 

 need to say very much in explanation of the work of that 

 Society. It is very well known indeed to you ^Massachusetts 

 people; I think you are largely the originators, some of 

 you, — perhaps those who are not with us todaj^ some of the 

 old fruit growers who have passed away, were largely the 

 originators of that Society, and you are very familiar with 

 its good work. 



There has been, hoAvever, a feeling that the commercial 

 side of horticulture has not 4)een taken care of by that 

 society. The amateur side, the matter of variety and in- 

 struction along those lines has been pretty fully covered, 

 but the commercial side of marketing of our fruit products 

 has not been given the attention by that Society that it 

 warrants. 



There was a meeting two or three months ago on that 

 and it was felt that the Society should get together and see 

 what could be done to put things on a business basis. The 

 outcome of three days' conference was not to reorganize the 

 American Pomological Society, but to take steps to organize 

 all the hortieulutral interests of the country into one large 

 federated body. The outcome of the discussion went a 

 little further, — an organization was formed, perhaps a 

 temporary one, we ought to say. with officers elected ; and 

 the organization plans of the Congress were left in the hands 

 of a committee to be WTirked out. All that we can say to the 

 State associations at the present is that w^e want them to 

 take an interest in this matter, discuss it at their annual 

 meetings, and if they shall feel that it is best for them, to 

 take out membership on the basis of State organizations. 



The plan is the maiket gardeners, the fruit shippers, the 



