FIFTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 31 



For the best g^rades of fruit we use the bushel box exclu- 

 sively, and for the lower grades the half barrel basket; prac- 

 tically using no barrels at the present time. 



In concluding- these brief notes I would like to call your 

 attention to what I consider the most promising field for the 

 New York and New England pomologist, and that is the 

 commercial growing- of the finer type of pears. 



While the apple and the peach are grown successfully over 

 the greater portion of this great country of ours, the terri- 

 tory for the successful production of choice pears is circum- 

 scribed. Prof. Waite, who is high authority on this fruit, 

 recognizes this fact and in his fruit notes makes mention of 

 this fact; characterizing southern New England, the Lake 

 region, and other portions of New York as particularly favor- 

 able locations. California has been a great factor in the pro- 

 duction of pears for the eastern markets, and it has been the 

 hardest competition we have had to meet, the attractive 

 appearance of their fruit making them popular with the con- 

 sumer. But, unless they are able to stay the scourge of blight 

 that is sweeping the commercial orchards of that state, the 

 industry is doomed. 



I saw Prof. Waite, who, a short time since, had just 

 returned from there. In their distress the growers appealed 

 to the Department of Agriculture and the professor went 

 there to advise and assist them. I learned from him, that 

 owing to peculiar conditions this disease assumes a virulence 

 and destructiveness unknown to the eastern grower, and so 

 far all efforts to control it have met with little success. The 

 alluvial soils of the west are not to be considered, as the grow- 

 ing of this fruit has been virtually abandoned there. So it 

 would seem that to New York and New England exceptional 

 advantages are vouchsafed. The market prospects for the 

 future are all that can be desired, and that there will be a 

 surplus for many years to come does not seem possible. 



An orchard of this fruit properly located and intelligently 

 handled seems to me one of the best investments that the 

 eastern fruit grower can make. 



A Member: Are you able to control the blight? 



