SE I 'EN TEEN TH A NN UA L MEE TING. 1 1 



A notable program of speaking and discnssions was held 

 on the rocks and in the midst of a tract now being cleared, 

 while the very informal dinner, which was "strictly on the 

 basket-plan," was no less an enjoyable featnre and one that 

 should set the pace for future field meetings in greater num- 

 bers all over the State. Let us keep up these summer gath- 

 erings and all feel it a duty and a privilege to entertain the 

 Society, for they are productive of an immense amount of 

 good both to the host and the visitors. 



Our annual exhibition grows from year to year in popu- 

 lar estimation and value. Several of the fairs invited us to 

 exhibit with them last fall, but your executive committee 

 decided that better arrangements could be made at Berlin 

 than anywhere else, and accordingly our tenth annual exhi- 

 bition was held there September 24-27. The results in a 

 season when the shortage of good fruit was evident, surprised 

 us all, proving that the members of this Society have reached 

 the point where they can make a creditable showing under 

 almost any conditions of weather and crops. About 1,100 

 plates of fruit were displayed, even some remarkably fine 

 peaches showing up ; the number of exhibitors was 56, arid 

 the total amount of premiums awarded, $271.90. I think the 

 Society can render no greater service to the people of the 

 State than by continuing and enlarging these annual exhibits. 

 By means of them the fairs are benefited, the public is inter- 

 ested and instructed, fruit growers encouraged and taught 

 many valuable lessons, and, more than all, the horticultural 

 interests of the State are advanced to a higher plane. 



At the invitation of the State Grange, our Society 

 arranged a display of fruit for the session of the National 

 Grange at the Capitol in November, and won hearty praise 

 of the many visitors from all sections, for the excellence of the 

 exhibit. Nothing finer has ever been staged by the members 

 of this Societv, and the general beauty and attractiveness of 

 this exhibit was probably never equalled before in this State. 

 Some 400 plates w^ere shown, the whole making a magnificent 

 sight. 



