FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
45 
these reports. I regret to report that I was unable to do so. 
I did visit a few points in West Florida examining orchards. 
And here I hope to be excused for saying a good word for 
a railroad company. When I contemplated a trip examining 
orchards, I invited Mr. Gr. L. Tab-r to make the trip with 
me, being anxious to have his pornological knowledge. With 
the idea of making the personal expense less, I addressed a 
letter to the division passenger agent of the Li. & N. railroad, 
stating the object of the trip and asking the company for 
passes over their road, in view of the fact that a report would 
benefit the fruit business, and incidentally the company. I 
received a prompt answer from Mr. Lurt<>n, the division pas¬ 
senger agent ot the L. & N. company, with passes over their 
line in Florida (204 miles) doth ways, good to stop at any 
and all stations, for Mr. Taber and myself. Owing to sick¬ 
ness in Mr. Taber’s family, the trip was not made. But the 
action of the company deserves this acknowledgment. 
A GOOD RAILROAD SERVICE. 
In this connection I will digress to state that for several 
years I have shipped fruit by the L. & N. railway, my orchard 
being on their line, and the only road I ship over in Florida, 
and I have invariably received good attention and fair treat¬ 
ment from officers and employes. Last year I shipped seve¬ 
ral carloads and numerous smaller shipments, and while I 
think the charges entirely too much, the service was first- 
class. Ventilated cars were promply furnished and promptly 
taken away when loaded, and, better still, promptly delivered 
at destination. Through the courtesy of Mr. Saltmarsh, the 
division superintendent, I knew where my cars were, from 
point to point, when I asked for it. 
TRANSPORTATION CHARGES. 
I say I think the charges too much. I suppose we would 
think that if they were much less. Bat let us be just, if pos¬ 
sible. The fault of excessive freight rates does not lie at the 
door of the railroad officials that we come in contict with. 
They are simply trying (and failing often) to make expenses 
and pay interest on invested capital and water added by 
grace of legislative bodies. We have trird Railioad Com¬ 
missions, National and State, and failed. What next? 
Some gentlemen of this Society may think ail of this out 
of place in a report on peaches and plums, but I am trying to 
produce fruit in Chicago, New York, and wnere my custom¬ 
ers are, and I find transportation a very considerable part of 
the work. 
SUITABLE VARIETIES. 
The greatest difficulty about successful peach and plum 
