SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 3 



speeches at these meetings. Let practical men demonstrate 

 up-to-date methods of phmting, pruning, propagating, thin- 

 ning, picking and packing- the fruit. These practical demon- 

 strations in the field should furnish the best means for instruc- 

 tion in the latest methods. 



In spite of short crops and discouraging prophesies we 

 held two very creditable exhibitions. The annual at Berlin 

 showed what can be done under adverse conditions, when the 

 members are each willing to do what they are able, put their 

 shoulders to the wheel and push. One encouraging feature 

 was the large number of new exhibitors. A number of small 

 exhibits is always preferable to a few large entries. It encour- 

 ages competition, which means better fruit next time. It 

 increases interest, for the exhibitor is bound to work for the 

 success of the fair. The best way to learn what quality in 

 fruit really is, is to send what you think the finest fruit on 

 earth to an exhibition and get beaten. The Society made a 

 creditable display of fruit at the capitol during the meeting 

 of the National Grange. Some of the fruit from the show 

 at Berlin was carried over for this display and was shown 

 beside fruit from the same growersthat had remained on the 

 trees late. It showed plainly that the fruit increased from 20 

 to 30 per cent, in size, and fifty per cent, in quality, after the 

 middle of September. I think I never before realized how- 

 much the fruit increases in size during the last few days it is 

 left on the trees, and I feel sure that it will pay from the quan- 

 tity alone, and certainly for the quality, to pick the trees of 

 even the winter varieties of apples over twice. 



Wishing a bunch of grapes to top out a fruit-piece at 

 this exhibition, I visited some of the large fruit dealers of the 

 city. I failed, as I had expec.ted, to find a single bunch of 

 Connecticut grown grapes. What I did not expect, however, 

 was that I did not find a single first quality Connecticut grown 

 apple or pear. That Connecticut growers had produced the 

 goods was proved over at the capitol, where at the same time 

 were exhibits of apples as handsome in appearance, and I 

 believe better in quality, than the imported ones these dealers 

 were oflFering at 90 cents per dozen. Some of our growers 



