135 



and origiiiatino- new varieties, and we hope the time is not far 

 distant wlieii the society will be again congratulated on the 

 improvement in apples and in originating new varieties. Let 

 us all do what we can to bring about that result. 



In closing we will say we have no personal interest in the 

 mattei's, have taken no part in the discussion, have thought 

 but little on the subject, and we now think it strange that we 

 should have spent more than four score years on the farm, 

 having been engaged in many experiments and improvements 

 of the day, and have overlooked the important subject under 

 consideration. We have been mucli more particular in gath- 

 ering information and writing this report than we should 

 otherwise have been had we not known that we were treading 

 on disputed ground. 



Joseph How, Chairman. 



Methuen, Nov. 15, 1880. 



REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF DELEGATES TO 

 FARMERS' CLUBS, AND TOWN PAIRS. 



Francis H. Appleton, Chairman. 



After the close of the annual meeting last year, 1879, at 

 Lynn, a few members conversed together as to the propriety 

 and value of appointing delegates to attend meetings of 

 Farmers' Clubs and Fruit Growers' Associations to be held in 

 the county during the current year, that reports of them might 

 be prepared for the transactions of the Essex Society. 



Between that time and when I had to send in an essay or 

 paper, for last November's meeting of Trustees, I iiad been 

 led to believe that much good could come of such appoint- 

 ments. I therefore took the opportunity of bringing up the 

 subject in a paper, which was presented to them and published 

 in the last Transactions, in such form as to respectfully suggest 

 that some action be taken in that direction. 



The suggestion being favorably received, I later found that I 



