2 The Connecticut Pomological Society 



which was thereby rendered worthless, and many thousand 

 baskets of peaches shared the same fate. The very severe 

 drought of the summer caused the fruit to be smaller than 

 usual, and in some sections what would otherwise have been 

 thousands of baskets of peaches was fruit which was wilted and 

 dried on the trees, and perfectly worthless. Berries and small 

 fruits also suffered severely. In many sections of the state peach 

 buds were killed during the winter, and by the late freeze in 

 May, except on high elevations and near the shore; which 

 again proves the wisdom of setting our peach trees on elevated 

 locations. Then again, the past month has been fraught with 

 much damage, due to ice. Many valuable trees have been 

 ruined, and many more badly broken and damaged. But, while 

 these reverses are fresh in our memory, as we look back for the 

 last eleven years I can recall but one total failure of the peach 

 crop in our state. This certainly should inspire us with renewed 

 courage and hope to press steadily on towards the mark of the 

 high calling, for it is the highest calling connected with agricul- 

 ture. It brings into its fold and front the brainy, thinking men 

 who work with mind and muscle. It requires little thought to 

 plant and care for a hill of corn or potatoes, but to properly set, 

 trim and care for fruit trees from year to year, to study their 

 habits and food supply, to fight insects and fungous diseases, 

 and to thin, pick and prepare the fruit for market, are all things 

 that need forethought and judgment. He who will not look 

 ahead and take time by the forelock will himself be led by the 

 forelock. 



In regard to the peach yellows, I regret that so many small 

 growers seem so indifferent to its ravages. They have little to 

 lose, and seem to care little for the losses of others. Eternal 

 vigilance in pulling out and destroying trees infected with this 

 pest is well understood by commercial growers to be the price of 

 success. The small growers need the prompting influence of 

 judicious laws to awaken in them a sense of honor and justice. 

 If our legislative committee could frame a law that would be 

 effective, and at the same time that would not be burdensome 

 upon those parts of our state where peaches are not raised, it 

 would be of great importance to our fruit interests; a law that 

 would at once appeal to the honor and sense of justice of our 



