38 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



and used what influence they could, that a due proportion should be 

 expended to establish and successfully carry on a department of 

 horticulture. From what we can learn the oflScers of this institution 

 are in full sympathy with us, and are taking pains to secure efficient 

 professors for this department. Closely connected with this is the 

 State Experiment Station, and we would here mention the timely 

 aid afforded by its officers in working out some of the problems 

 which are puzzling the fruit growers. We believe their efforts will 

 soon be acknowledged to be of vast benefit. If a remedy should be 

 discovered, which will hold in check that terrible scourge, the apple 

 scab, it will pay for the expenditure of thousands of dollars, for we 

 believe this one disease is worse than all others combined. From 

 the little study we have made of this disease, we are inclined to 

 charge most of the failure of the apple crop in our own orchard the 

 past year, to this cause. The time is coming when those who keep 

 posted as to the best methods of destroying the myriad enemies of 

 the orchardist, and thus be able to successfully fight them, will reap 

 the benefit. For such men destructive insects and diseases will 

 actually- prove advantageous, although his fruit is obtained at such 

 cost and labor, because those who successfully fight the borer, cod- 

 ling moth, maggot and apple scab, will ever be in the minority, 

 and the choicer fruit raised by such orchardists will always command 

 remunerative prices. There is one class of men I wish we could 

 reach and influence. I refer to those, who having had good success 

 in fruit culture are either too conceited or too selfish to share their 

 knowledge and experience with others. It requires a great deal 

 of faith in possibilities, and at best is up-hill work and some- 

 times rather tedious, to go from place to place, year after year, 

 trying to awaken an interest in fruit culture and the beautifying of 

 farmers' homes, and to urge that, even if this brings no returns in 

 dollars and cents, it will bring delight and comfurt, and what those 

 who are obliged to purchase count luxuries. For what end is money 

 making, but to purchase bodily comforts and pleasure ? The wealthy 

 citizen pays immense sums every season for fruits and flowers that 

 any farmer may raise on his own grounds, with small outlay of time 

 and money, and also have the advantage of having them fresh for 

 the gathering. 



The beginner in fruit raising may, for lack of experience, make a 

 failure the first few years, but when he is able to place upon his 

 table a few quarts of choice berries, with only the outlay of a few 



