ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 189 



will never pay, but attention to these particulars is most import- 

 ant. Mr. Sternberg's favorite fertilizer for the peach orchard 

 is ground bone, applied at time of setting and freely in after 

 years. 



"Fruit growing is enjoyable, is profitable and has increased 

 the value of our farms besides being an incentive to our young 

 people to stay on the farm." 



A lively discussion followed the address, showing the interest 

 aroused by the speaker. It was pointed out that to ship our 

 peaches to distant markets we must make use of cooperation ; 

 the single small grower is at a disadvantage. 



Mr. Sternberg thought potash was not needed for the peach 

 crop in his soil ; others differed with him and favored the use 

 of potash in the form of unleached wood ashes. Prof. Britton 

 thought the lime in the ashes of even more value than the potash. 

 Mr. Hoyt said his soil must be fed with potash to grow good 

 fruit crops. 



At this point a recess was declared and the company were 

 invited to the hall below to enjoy a bountiful dinner. The 

 warm hospitality and good cheer and the excellent dishes pro- 

 vided by the Grange ladies combined to make this feature of 

 the meeting a success. 



At 2 p. M. the meeting was resumed. A discussion of the 

 fruit on the exhibition table was first in order. Some excellent 

 specimens of apples shown by E. M. Ives of Meriden attracted 

 special attention and numerous questions brought out some 

 practical information from Mr. Ives. The scald which is so 

 prevalent in certain varieties of apples. ]Mr. Piatt thought could 

 be checked by spraying. The Carter apple and Smith's Cider 

 were two varieties recommended for planting in Connecticut. 

 The first speaker of the afternoon was Mr. Edwin Hoyt of New 

 Canaan, one of the-enthusiastic believers in the possibilities of 

 fruit growing, especially apples, who read a very comprehensive 

 paper on apple orcharding in Connecticut. Mr. Hoyt began by 

 urging all to join the Pomological Society, thus helping to 

 extend the interests of fruit growing. In closing he predicted 

 that better days are coming for agriculture : capital is waiting to 

 be invested in fruit farming ; cooperation will play an important 

 part in the farming of the future. 



