EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 5 



Next in order was the annual report of the Secretary, H; 

 C. C. Miles of -Alilford, which was presented as follows: 



Secretary's Report. 



Mr. President and Monbers of the Society' 



To-day we begin our eighteenth year as an organized 

 Society, and those of us whose memory goes back to that day 

 in the year 1891. when, as a small handful of peach growers, 

 we met in a room at the State Capitol and organized for mu- 

 tual protection against the many foes that threatened the 

 peach industry of the State, cannot help but feel a glow of 

 pride at the magnificent organization that has grown out of 

 that small beginning. 



During the past fifteen years the fruit-growing interests 

 of Connecticut have been developed and increased immensely, 

 until now they have reached important proportions. Along 

 with this growth the Pomological Society has ever kept pace ; 

 indeed it has been, we believe, a most important factor in the 

 development of this industry that means so much for the 

 health and enjoyment of all the people. 



This is a dav of remarkable progress and improvement 

 in everything agricultural and the rural home. New inven- 

 tions and changes in methods come up each year, and for 

 what we think is good to-day a better will be found to-mor- 

 row. 



It is a fair question to ask, if we, as fruit growers, are 

 living up to our opportunities and getting a fair share of the 

 results of this progress, for, of all men, the fruit grower must 

 be up with the times if he would hope to succeed in his busi- 

 ness. And what of this Society, is if "making good" for the 

 benefit of its members and the State at large? Taking it all 

 in all. the year just closed has been a very active and useful 

 one in the work of our organization. It is hard to measure the 

 exact results of our efforts, — an enthusiastic meeting here, a 

 helpful suggestion there, someone encouraged to do better 



