REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OX FRUITS FOR 

 THE YEAR 1905. 



BY WILFRID WHEELER, CHAIRMAN. 



In reducing the Committee on Fruits from five members to 

 three the Avisdom of the Society has been clearly shown, for it is 

 easier with the smaller number to do more concentrated and effec- 

 tive work, as greater responsibility is felt by each. The labor of 

 the committee has been of necessity increased, especially at the 

 larger shows; so it has been found more expedient to prepare all 

 prize cards beforehand, leaving only the name of the successful 

 exhibitor to be inserted on the card when the award is made by 

 the committee. The season just passed has been a very uneven 

 one with regard to fruit displayed, on account of some of the exhibi- 

 tions occurring at a time when the fruits were not in their perfec- 

 tion. This was especially true of the Rose and Strawberry Exhibi- 

 tion and the committee believes that this date should be left open 

 to suit the season. 



The prospects for successful fruit growing in Massachusetts 

 were never better than at present. There is an exodus of people 

 to the country, a making of farms, planting of gardens and orchards 

 by amateurs, a striving on the part of the commercial grower to 

 produce quality rather than quantity in his fruit. All of which 

 indicates a deeper interest in matters pertaining to horticulture 

 and will lead to a larger consumption by the people of all kinds of 

 the best fruits. On the other hand the fruit industry is threatened 

 by the ravages of the gypsy and brown-tail moths as well as by 

 numerous other pests, rusts, and fungus growths which may cur- 

 tail fruit growing on an extensive scale. (J)n this account, however, 

 there is no need for real discouragement, only an opportunity for 

 the gardener, the householder and amateur in general to exercise 

 care and precaution and produce, in s\n\e of these disadvantages, 

 sound and excellent fruit. 



