The present convention is the result of an effort on the part of the Montreal 

 Horticultural Society to secure such a meeting at Montreal last winter. For various 

 reasons the plans then made were not realized, but as we all felt the gi-eat necessity 

 for some concerted action looking to the better development of our fruit industjy, 

 and especially of our export trade; efforts were renewed with the result now- 

 apparent. By a general vote of all the societies interested, the organization of the 

 convention, with all the details relating to it, was placed in the hands of the Mon- 

 treal Horticultural Society and Fruit Growers' Association of the Province of Quebec, 

 in consequence of which it devolves upon me, as President of that society, to preside 

 over the work of this meeting. We are under obligations to many members of the 

 House for the warm manner in which oui application for Government assistance 

 was supported by them. But we are more particularly and deeply indebted to the 

 Honourable the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. John Carling, for the encouragement 

 and sympathy he has extended to those directly in charge of this work, and for the 

 very active and generous support he has extended in securing a special Government 

 grant to meet expenses necessarily incident to such an occasion. And notwithstand- 

 ing the many engrossing duties of his position, he has continued to manifest a 

 watchful and active interest in all our work up to this very date. Whatever may 

 be the final result of our work in the next three days, the fruit growers of Canada 

 cannot forget that Mr. Carling has laboured earnestly and generously for the promo- 

 tion of their interests. 



We should also acknowledge the valuable services of those members of the 

 general executive and local committees without whose uniting efforts success could 

 not have been secured. 



On behalf of our various societies, as here represented, I desire also to extend 

 a most cordial welcome to those representatives of kindred societies who have come 

 to this meeting from the adjoining States of the Union. It is our hope that, as our 

 interests are largely identical, the exchange of views to take place during the 

 progress of this convention may result in a large measure of mutual benefit. 



This is the first occasion in the history of Canadian horticulture when there 

 have been assembled at one point skilled representatives of that most noble calling, 

 from all parts of our widely separated Provinces. We have here to-day representa- 

 tives from Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, 

 Manitoba, the North-West Territories and British Columbia, and it is hoped that such 

 a convention of widely separated interests may lead to results of the greatest 

 importance — results which will be felt in the remotest fruit-growing district of the 

 Dominion, and from which, as time moves rapidly onwai'd, new influences may spring. 



Our progressive neighbours to the southward, who are ever on the alert for new 

 directions in which to apply an exhaustless energy to the development of natural 

 resources, have for some years been carrying on a work similar to that we are now 

 entering upon — though on a somewhat larger scale — through the medium of the 

 American Horticultural Society, whose function it is to move about from place to 

 place each year, and thus bring local interests into harmony with the general welfare. 



Whether any such broader field of work will result from this Convention and 

 whether such work as we are now undertaking will be extended into the future, 

 are at present open questions, the determination of which must depend upon the 

 nature of the results we now achieve. At present our object is attained in this 

 meeting. When it was first proposed to hold this meeting the intention was to 

 have it at Montreal, as the great shipping port, and whence the bulk of our fruit goes 

 to Europe. But on consideration it was found best, for several reasons, that it should 

 be held here at Ottawa during the Session of Parliament, and thus give to the various 

 representatives here gathered an opportunity to hear and join in the discussions, 

 and ultimately distribute the information obtained, among their several consti- 

 tuencies. 



Of the various Provinces represented here to-day, we regret to find that only four 

 have regulary organized societies, under whose direction and encourageioeut the 

 fruit interests of these various sections are fostered and promoted. In Manitoba and 



