THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 7 



and the acreage devoted to all the small fruits is increasing 

 year by year, while the demand for them grows still faster. 

 Formerly the "yellows" was the dreaded scourge of our peach 

 orchards, but that disease seems to have run its course to a 

 certain extent, and now it is the San Jose scale that works 

 havoc with our trees, yet with the help of science and by 

 organized effort the control of this and other pests is within 

 our reach. Then, only a few fruit men had the insight and 

 foresight to realize the great opportunities and possi- 

 bilities for profitable fruit culture on our rough Con- 

 necticut lands. Noiv, however, we are all beginning to 

 open our eyes and on every side we see evidences of faith 

 in the Connecticut soil. The demand for land for fruit pur- 

 poses is growing, hundreds of old farms are being cleared 

 of brush and rocks and set to fruit trees, companies are formed 

 to carry on the business, and farms devoted wholly, or in 

 part, to special fruit crops are becoming more common every 

 year. And, best of all, our people are continually eating more 

 fruit, and the desire to plant trees and vines about our rural 

 homes for both utility and beauty is a most encouraging sign 

 of our horticultural development. 



In all this fifteen years of progression the Connecticut 

 Pomological Society has taken a prominent part, and without 

 doubt its work and influence has done very much to bring 

 about the results we see to-day. 



As fruit growers we have just closed a year of generally 

 satisfactory crops and prices, with the exception of apples, 

 which were a light crop, and we should feel encouraged to go 

 forward with greater energy. 



The record of this Society's work for the year 1905 is one 

 of progressive and energetic effort along the lines for which 

 it was organized. We have grown stronger, reached out into 

 wider fields of activity, and have the satisfaction of knowing 

 that, as an organization, we enjoy the respect and confidence 

 of the Connecticut public. This was plainly shown when we 

 appeared before the Legislature last winter, in our success- 

 ful effort to secure an increased appropriation. We heard 

 nothing but praise and good words for the valuable work 



