2 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



small number of individuals who are willing to work for it. The 

 Society is, however, gradually drawing into its membership the 

 most skilful fruit-growers and horticulturists of the State, and 

 each year makes valuable accessions to its working force; and 

 the p-roportion of life members among them indicates a perma- 

 nent interest in its objects and gives assurance of its stability. 

 With the formation of a better acquaintance among the members 

 there has grown up a spirit of good fellowship, which has pre- 

 vented the manifestation of undue selfishness and added zest and 

 pleasure to our labors. 



The system adopted by this Society, of reserving all fees for 

 life membership as a permanent fund, of which only the interest 

 can be used for current expenditure, is believed to be correct in 

 principle and beneficial in operation. There can be no doubt that 

 it will ultimately give the Society a larger annual income than 

 could be derived from exclusively "annual memberships;" and it 

 obviates the objection which prudent persons generally make to 

 life memberships, viz : that the money paid therefor is liable to bo 

 used for current expenditure, and the Society burdened with a 

 non-productive membership. By reference to the By-Laws, the 

 financial reports and the list of members, appended to this and 

 former reports, it will be seen that this wise provision has been 

 strictly adhered to in practice and guarded with all possible guar- 

 antees for the future. We therefore feel fully justified in the frequent 

 appeals which the Society has made and still makes to individuals 

 to become Life Members. 



The efforts of the Society during the past year have been di- 

 rected to carrying out, as far as its means would permit, the plans 

 previously determined upon. The resnUs of these efforts cannot 

 reasojiably be expected to appear with great distinctness at this 

 early day ; yet we have the best reason to believe that they have 

 already proved beneficial in stimulating activity of thought and 

 disseminating useful information by means of our publications, meet- 

 ings and exhibitions. This will necessarily lead to a more intelli- 

 gent and careful attention to all the details of the business of fruit 

 production. These results are already foreshadowed ; and to lead 

 in, and give the proper direction to this reformation is the obvious 

 mission of this Society. 



Some points, both in theory and practice, have been definitely 

 settled by the Society, and although they will in the nature of 

 things, still continue to be discussed through the newspapers and 



