STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 2/ 



3d. To provide for adequate penalty and method of en- 

 forcement, in case of violations. 



4th. That all agents or representatives of foreign, or out-of- 

 the-state buyers, and all buyers and shippers in the State, be 

 required to notify the Department of Agriculture of the date 

 or dates and volume of proposed shipments and to whom con- 

 signed, that the volume of the crop raised may yearly be deter- 

 mined. 



5th. That a committee be raised at this session to ascertain 

 the cost of a colored lithographic barrel and box label, to in- 

 clude the seal of this society and allow necessary blank spaces, 

 and report at the next annual meeting, the object being to pro- 

 vide the members of this society with a choice label for use in 

 shipping, and the further advertising of the apples of Maine. 



6th. That in view of the alarming decrease in the number 

 of song birds and bees, and with a full recognition of their 

 valuable and necessary services in fertilizing all blossoms, this 

 society, through chosen representatives, attempt systematic ex- 

 periments to determine the value of non-poisonous insecticides. 

 So serious has become this loss and so tenaciously does the 

 scientist cling to arsenical preparations and combinations that 

 we may well institute careful experiments along other line;? to 

 determine, if possible, what agents are effective and not injuri- 

 ous to bees and birds. 



To my mind the weakest spot in the whole fruit problem 

 today is the method of disposal of the product. Here and 

 there we find growers who have established a market but the 

 great majority are at the mercy of commission dealers and 

 shippers. So long as this continues, the grower is practically 

 a cipher in disposing of his fruit, simply passing it on to others 

 to accept what they are willing to give. The commission plan 

 as operated by so many today has little to commend it to the 

 grower, and those only with few barrels, and no acquaintance 

 with the market, can longer afford to ship in this manner. The 

 time has come when, for the protection and promotion of the 

 industry, there should be in the State, central fruit growers' 

 organizations, where paid officials shall receive, handle and 

 dispose of the product, protecting from an overstocked market, 

 shipping to most favorable centres, and insuring net returns 

 not possible through individual efforts. 



