TWENTIETH ANNUAL MEETING. I4I 



Now, vou gentlemen of this society don't seem to re- 

 member that at the Xew England Corn Show at Worcester 

 in November, we took the first prize for the largest produc- 

 tion of Dent corn, we took the first prize for the largest crop 

 of ensilage corn in New England. You seem to forget that 

 a }ear ago we had the best barrel of apples that was exhibit- 

 ed at the New England Fruit Show. (Laughter and groans.) 

 I hear somebody question that. We didn't take the prize for 

 the best barrel, but we had the best barrel there. (Laughter.) 

 And we are going to have it again this year. Now the reason 

 I make that assertion is because I presume the judges over- 

 looked this barrel of apples. It was really the best barrel 

 there because, among other hundreds of barrels of apples 

 there, a gentleman who is thoroughly an expert, and who 

 wanted the best barrel there, was in the hall. After looking 

 everything over, he went all through the Maine stock, all 

 through your Connecticut stock, and I think he devoted the 

 larger part of the day, and he finally bought a barrel of our 

 Rhode Island apples, and wanted them sent by express. 

 When the gentleman who raised the apples and sold them to 

 him, asked him where they were to go, I won't be sure what 

 he said, but they either went to Presque Isle, Maine, or New 

 Haven, Connecticut, one of these two places. I think it was 

 Connecticut. ( Laughter. ) 



Now% I think if I talk much more in this line I shall 

 probably get cabbages thrown at me, and I don't want that, 

 for I don't like cabbages in any form. But I will tell you 

 candidly that if you will come down to Rhode Island we can 

 give you points on many things. We learn many things 

 coming up here, especially from your ambition, which I 

 admire very much indeed, and I only wish we had the same, 

 or a small part of the same amount of ambition down there in 

 this and other work, because I think it is of so much advantage 

 to all, I don't think it is possible for us to come to a meeting 

 of this kind and hear the remarks that are made by different 

 ones, without being \ery much impressed, and going hcime 

 much more enlightened than when we came. And if you will 



