STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 43 



requires more time, and here is where organized horticulture ought 

 to lend a hand. It is an easy matter to pick up chance seedlings 

 here and there, and claim the origin thereof, though I would most 

 certainly use even these when they are better than those found in 

 the orchards. It is a matter of skill and patient toil to produce an 

 apple by crossing two improved varieties, but when we see how 

 much the florist has done in the production of new and superior 

 flowers, we have abundant reason to hope for better fruit than we 

 are now grrowing. Perhaps we may be able best to accomplish this 

 great work through our agricultural colleges. At an}' rate, here is 

 a good field in which they can join hands with fruit growers. 



In conclusion then, our field of labor is a broad one, but there is 

 no department of labor or research which offers the enthusiast moi'e 

 agreeable occupation or more generous returns. The dissemination 

 of knowledge already gained is our first duty. This will teach the 

 public of the best cultural methods and bring to the fruit grower 

 the most desirable varieties. The invaluable qualities of the apple 

 when more generally known will lead inevitably to a larger con- 

 sumption of the fruit, and consequent profitable production. Then 

 intelligentl}' combine by cross fertilizing the best apples we raise, 

 and in spite of the present depi-essed markets we may hope that the 

 future will have in store for us more health and wealth in the pro- 

 duction of fruits. 



DISCUSSION. 



Sec. Gilbert : I do not desire to consume much time in discuss- 

 ing this topic ; but the paper which we have just listened to with so 

 much pleasure is very suggestive in many directions. The only 

 thought which I would call attention to just here is in connection 

 with the originating of new varieties of fruit. The paper well 

 asserts that we have not yet reached perfection, that there is yet an 

 invitation to us to work for still better results. It is a fact everywhere 

 found in nature that all of the good qualities have not yet been 

 combined in a single individual. That is just as true with our fruits 

 as with our animals and with our other products of the farm. There 

 are, however, efforts being made, looking to the originating of new 

 varieties which shall combine more of the higher qualities than the 

 fruits we now possess. While we may think, just here, that we 

 have fruits that are about good enough, j'et we find that our fruits, 

 most delicious in quality, many of them, have certain serious draw- 



