12 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



With the extensive plantings of peach, plum and apple 

 orchards during the last ten years, Connecticut has become 

 one of the leading fruit growing States of the Union. The 

 present favorable condition to the fruit buds has made it 

 probable that for the first time in its history, in the year 

 1900, Connecticut will be able to ship out many car loads 

 of peaches to adjoining markets. As the great number of 

 these trees are in the orchards of small growers, who are 

 likely to offer the fruit for sale in their nearest home 

 market, there is a likelihood of an over-supply at home and 

 some sort of co-operation is needed for the more profitable 

 distribution of this fruit. Fruit evaporators and fruit can- 

 neries are also needed for using the surplus in the vicinity 

 of such fruit centers as Hartford, New Haven and Middle- 

 town. 



We have held three summer field meetings on the 

 farms of our members in diiferent sections of the State, all 

 of which have been largely attended and have been full of 

 interest to all our members in noting the different varie- 

 ties of fruits grown and methods of culture. 



We have had one Institute this winter and have in 

 mind two or more. These meetings are continually adding 

 to us new members and strengthening and broadening the 

 ideas of our older members. 



It was voted at our last session to instruct our commit- 

 tee to ask the General Assembly for an appropriation to aid 

 the work of this Society. This committee asked for the 

 sum of $500 per year and this sum was readily given to us, 

 and will be of great help to us in building up and strength- 

 ening the organization by better programs and by more 

 speakers along the lines that we are working in. 



We are glad to have with us to-day members from our 

 sister society in Massachusetts, and also members of the 

 Eastern New York Society, and we are also glad to wel- 

 come the delegates from the New Jersey Society, and we 

 want you, one and all, to enter into our proceedings and 

 feel free to be one of us as long as here. 



