ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 3 



Labor Day, coming as it does on Monday just as we are well 

 started in our peach harvest, causes a bad break for us, making 

 three days in succession in which little or no fruit can be sold, 

 and on Labor Day of last year, and the year before, some of 

 the railroads would haul no fruit, making the situation extremely 

 hard and causing large losses. 



I earnestly recommend that this Society take up this matter 

 and endeavor to obtain relief where needed, by getting the 

 railroads to haul our peaches on Labor Day the same as on 

 other days. 



The interest in apple culture still continues ; commercial 

 orchards have been planted during the last five or six years and 

 more are planned for in the immediate future. 



This is in sharp contrast to the preceding period of thirty or 

 forty years, during which very little planting was done. 



The autumn exhibition of fruit held in New Britain at the 

 beginning of October, notwithstanding the unfavorable season, 

 was, as an exhibition, a pronounced success. Certain districts, 

 notably Bristol, New Britain and Middletown, were able to, and 

 did show, a large variety of apples every way worthy of the 

 Connecticut Pomological Society. 



A good exhibit of grapes was shown, also a fine lot of peaches 

 from all parts of the State. This was the fourth of its kind, 

 and, as exhibits, all have been successful. 



They have been helpful no doubt to those who have attended 

 and to the exhibitors themselves, but as an educator of the 

 general public they have not been a success, as the general public 

 does not attend. 



Unless we can secure a better attendance I doubt the economy 

 of continuing them. 



Our committee on fruit packages and transportation did good 

 service last year in advertising our orchards and bringing solici- 

 tors and buyers among us. I have no doubt this will continue 

 and will be a help to us, the want of which has long been felt. 

 The railroad men assure me that for our next crop we will have 

 solicitors and buyers from New York City as well as from 

 Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 



Our legislature last winter passed a law for the suppression 

 of insect pests and appropriated $3,000 annually to carry out 

 its provisions. 



