SIXTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 81 



deuce lliat am Xew England fruit is any Ijetter than tliat of 

 New Jersey, and until stronger evidence is presented to me I 

 shall keep on thinking that New Jersey grows as good a fruit 

 as anvthing grown in Xew England and if New Jersey grows 

 as good fruit as is grown in New England, why then, of 

 course, it is as good as that grown anywhere. 



President Eddy : We haye with us the Secretary of the 

 National League of Commission Merchants of the United 

 States, Mr. A. Warren Patch, of Boston, and I am going to 

 ask him to speak to us. 



Mr. Patch : Mr. President : I ought to bring you the 

 greetings of the commission merchants in all the commercial 

 centers and more of it, for I think you need us and we need 

 vou. You grow the fruit ; we sell it and often-times can help 

 in relation to what fruit or variety is most in demand in certain 

 markets. Idiere should be co-operation between you and the 

 merchant. These annual gatherings are of immense value to 

 the members of this association. You get together, you co- 

 operate with your neighbors at home, your neighbor in the 

 adjoining state or some distant state, but don't lose sight of the 

 fact that Connecticut is as good a state as any and that you can 

 grow fruits here that with due care will show^ you as much net 

 money as is shown in any state. Wdiere is there a more in- 

 terested Horticultural Society than yours, where can you go 

 and find the members more ready to learn that which will 

 benefit them? Another thing, I am mighty glad to see so 

 many young men. If T dared I would say to you fathers and 

 mothers, make the farm and home of interest to your sons. 

 This association has been blessed in having a member totally 

 unselfish, one e\er ready to give of his own gleanings. What 

 an amcnint of thinking will be aroused by the splendid talk of 

 Mr. Cox this afternoon. 



I would like to compliment the state of Connecticut on the 

 excellent production of fruit as shown by the exhibit in the 

 room below. You have the land, you have the ability and 

 from th.e large audiences at these meetings it goes to show that 

 the members have strong desires to learn fully about growing 

 the best fruit, something that the best trade wants. 



