282 
AMERICAN POMOEOGICAE SOCIETY 
lists for the guidance of the planters in those states much more reasonably 
and accurately, and even specialize them, than any ever made in the very 
large fruit districts of this society. It is proposed therefore to turn this mat- 
ter over to the state societies, each state will make Its list for the various 
fruits of the state. I suppose, for instance, that the Virginia State Horticultu- 
ral Society will be able to make recommendations for covering this work in 
that state better than the American Pomological Society is in that large fruit 
district. 
For that reason, we recommended that the matter be laid down on 
state lines, and that the state horticultural societies be requested to draw 
up a list for their respective states. 
Col. Brackett: You might have three distinct districts in one state? 
Mr. Fletcher: Yes; they would make three lists for that state. In 
other words, we are proceeding from the general to the specific. 
Mr. Watrous: For many years we handled this matter by trusting it 
all to the states; they have their different ways. Some men said that was 
not a scientific way, and this being a scientific body we should endeavor to 
have our districts based upon the actual facts of the case with reference to 
soil and climate, and there was a great deal of work expended in bringing 
about that project of the districts based upon soil and climatic conditions 
instead of state lines. 
Now the recommendation of this committee has nothing to do with 
the state societies. It is not supposed to say what they should or should 
not do, and I am sure I should be sorry to see this work turned over and 
thrown up, because it has only been in operation a very short timej, only a 
few years; and its real influence for bad or good we do not fully know. I 
am sure this plan, however, has seemed to work satisfactorily so far. It 
does not interfere with anything that any state society does; it cannot. 
Col. Brackett: It is revised every two or three years. 
Mr. W. F. Fletcher: After nine years careful study in this line, I 
would like to speak on this point. The states do not exactly cover the 
districts as we find them, and I will say that the actual climatic conditions 
as known by the average of district charts and their accompanying tempera- 
tures, both maximum and minimum and also the possibilities, is much more 
to the point than anything that can be got at in any other way. The weather 
conditions have not been studied thoroughly enough yet to make definite 
lines, and the many varieties and districts overlap in a great many cases. 
My suggestion would be in this case to use a map with its districts of 
fruits as now, until more definite understanding of the actual weather con- 
ditions can be procured, and in the meantime simply not say anything about 
the state lines but allow each state to make recommendations as it must 
for the different fruit districts which occur within its boundaries. 
Motion carried. — Col. Watrous: I move that sections one, three and five 
of the report be adopted, and section four rejected. Carried. 
