58 



The idea of giving a subscription of some paper we harve 

 tried in Connecticut, and found it worked out well, although 

 it is somewhat expensive. 



Pres. : Recently we have not had so large a number at 

 our Field Meetings as to interfere very much with their use- 

 fulness, and it would seem that until we are overcrowded^ 

 it would be better to let all come who will. 



The first paper this morning is that of Mr. J. H. Putnamy 

 of Litchfield, Conn., ex-president of the Connecticut Pomo- 

 logical Society, on 



CULTURE OF SMALL FRUITS 



J. H. PUTNAM, Litchfield, Conn. 



Ex-President Connecticut Pomological Society 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, and Members of the 

 Massachusetts Fruit Growers' Association: 



I do not feel like one coming into a strange country in 

 coming up here, because as a boy, I used to peddle cabbag- 

 es all through your .beautiful city, and was a member of thi» 

 Association when I was here. 



The subject of fruits is at the present time one of in- 

 terest everywhere you go. They could not produce one hun- 

 dred years ago such fruit as we do today, because they did 

 not know how to do it. The farmer must be about every- 

 thing under the sun if he is going to produce today the finest,, 

 high-quality fruits. 



It is only by knowing the scientific way of doing it that 

 we can produce them. The farmer must be a scientist, a 

 chemist, and a student of conditions. We do not need more 

 fruit so mush as we need better fruit. We have been teach- 

 ing and stimulating our farmers to grow more and more and 

 more. Now, the manufacturer does not do that. He limits 

 the output to a great extent and makes the people pay the 

 price. It is good fruit that the market wants, and good 

 fruit never goes begging. 



What are the requirements for the growing of fruits? 

 Some people think it requires a knack. Now, it does not, 

 but it requires care. You can all remember some old farm- 

 house where there seem to be no conditions favorable for 

 the growth of plants, but the little old lady who lives there 



