Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-02-08

Petenae Fruit 0rsWeFs' Associates
February OSssSes.
This Association mot Pursuant to adjournmen
On the sth inst, being the first Tuesday in IL
month, ct the boafdOf trade rooms, the presi
oept Charley DILLINGHAM;, In the chair; Pari
H. Folsom, secretary.
The minutes Of the last meeting were READ
and approved after correction was made b,
Mr.. saunders TO the effect that ths subject 70
the day included pears with apples.
NEW NKNBRRs.
Major John H. King and unanimously eiects;
70 full membership: DR.. A. p. Pardon and j uds
George r. Fiber, Of Washington. :
Booke, oATALoeUBs, ETC.
Downing's famous work for the use of the so
ciety, IS matter Of reference in disputes
points, although it WIS agreed that the associa
ton desired facts from actual neighboring ex
The secretary laid upon the table the beauti
full catalogue Of the Rochester Briggs Brothers
and also that of Peter Henderson & Co., New
York, and Gregory, of Marbiehead, Mass.
T. ANNUAL COMMITTEES.
The president announced the fruit committee
for the ensuing year as follows: Wm- Saunders
chairman, and Messrs. ID. o.. Manson, j. H
King, 8. e. Chamberlain, and Stacy H. Snow
den. The duties of this committee are to take
charge Of any fruits requiring names or classifi.
cation, and to decide so far as practicable un-
settled issues brought up at any meeting:
Thomas Taylor, Dr.. Z. p. Rowland and j. T.
Snodgrass.
The secretary referred to the building of the
new market, and suggested that the society
should be ready to offer claims to rooms there
for the accommodation of their meetings and
for library. He moved Q committee Of three
to look into the plans of the market company,
With view to the interests of the association.
Inc president appointed Messrs. Colonel 8. L.
chamberlain, j. B. Clagett, and Hon. NJ. G..
Emery as such committee.
NEW FRUIT CRATE.
Mr.. f. B: Georgia, of Clifton, Va, brought
OF the secretary, was turned over to a special
co mmittee, consisting of Messrs. j. T. Bran
hall, j. III. King, and ID. o. Munson, who gave
report until the next meeting, as thew were nm
willing to pass hasty Judgment pro or con uupn
90 important an invention towards facilitating
tho transportation of fruit. Mr.: Georgia Was
to be present at the March meeting
with samples of his different crates, and a state
me MT Of what he may have to say upon them.
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
The president then read his inaugural ad.
frt s., which was listened to with close atten-
ton, and upon its completion he received a fun
vote OF thanks on the motion Of Mr.. Saunders.
He spoke as follows:
Friends Of the Potomac Fruit Growers Associa-
organizations has rolled around since our last
election for officers, and in this lapse of time
can we show corresponding progress and inn
rSyement in genealogical science, If science it
may be called; but believe it is denied by
moss scientific men to be such, but only based
upon observation and experience; hence the
gre alter necessity for closer attention and prac-
heal Illustrations and experiments.
take this opportunity to tender my cordial
hanks to the members of the association for the
gre at mark of respect shown and repOsed in
me, by placing me again as the presiding officer
1t these meetings, composed as they are. of
hpS fist IF hfc
mi, too, at its very capital. say do not
know how to sufficiently appreciate and repay
his great evidence of favor and friendship.
1t was stated at our last meeting that some
greater means should be used to increase the
'ize of and interest in these meetings of the
association. Well, will ask you what shall be
lone In order to effect this; shall not all do
,ui best to effect the discovery as to the best
means to instill new life into the collected
organization by every member, to consider
hat each one owes something towards making
very meeting useful and interesting, by either
i ia, something to exhibit OF some inforrna-
II anything more can be done by the pre-
idlng officer In any way to forward the work,
n to make the meetings of the association more
he is at the service of the members,
he can find out what that would be; he does
sot fiatter himself with having an intimate
of parliamentary rules in the man
,gement Of the meetings, neither does he think
hat necessary in order to effect the object i'm
1iew. But he does fatter himself with having
ONE knowledge of fruit growing, and is willing
o impart 1t OF every necessary occasion, inside
he society and out Of it, having had consklera-
lie experience in that line for over half a
century.
will here make few extracts from the ad-
ress OF that veteran pOmOlOgist, Marshall P.
Wilder, delivered before the American Pomo-
ogical Society, at its biennial meeting at Rich
nond, Va, in the autumn of 1871: 81 would
uggest (said hey that it Is desirable for us to
gather up for future use the lessons which have
We have been 50 busy in accumlating knowl-
dge in the various branches of our culture that
We have had no time to look back and to sys-
ematize the differences and deductions to be
ime has now come when we should pause and
urvey the field and make review of the les
Ons which science has taught; for science is
nut a statement of these lessons-experience
ystematized and trained for progress. 1t is
he grains Of sand that roll up the mountains,
he drops of water that make the ocean, and it
8 lesson upon lesson, fact upon fact, which
must build up the science which we wish to
V more than the wonderful power of associa-
ion, the Capitalization of thought and action
or the promotion of particular objects, thus
Collecting the experience Of individuals and
iiffusing this knowledge for the benefit Of the
world. How clearly 10 this seen In the opera
ions OF our own s0ciety-h0w great the changes
and how rapid the progress since its formation.
Then its list OF members was l0l, now it's roll
II
sphere Of operations was limited by the bOunda-
les of few states, now its field extends from
ocean to ocean, from the provinces to the gulf.
Ind wherever the foot of civilization rests i'm
,ur broad domain. Nor Is 1t too much to say
hat in this space Of time more progress has
been made in the science Of pomOlogy than in
he whole period since the settlement Of our
country. Never before was the interest SO en-
crossing or so widely extended"
INSECTS AND DISEASES.
The subject of insects and diseases is daily at
racting more attention, for their depredatiOns
ire daily becoming great evil, and the i'm
p0rtance Of chronological investigation Is every
lay more plainly seen. 1t is less than fifty years
ince DIR. Harris first published his work on.
'Insects Injurious to Vegetation" and great
9 the debt of gratitude which we owe to him,
md to the succeeding investigators who have
yiven their lives to studying the habits of these
title ''creeping things which be upon the
,arth, !" that they may teach us how to destroy
hose which prey upon our trees, and to distin-
yuish our friends from our foes.
Every plant imported from abroad brings with
I a new insect or disease, and the dissemination
Of new plants and varieties, without which there
can be no progress in horticulture. inc vitality
their insect enemies. On this sub
iect, the words of Edmund Burke are apprO-
pirate: "The most vigilant superintendent; the
most prompt activity, which has no such day as
to- morrow in its calender, are necessary to the
farmer" and we may add, still more so TO the
and ten-fold more 00,slry in
our insect enemies. The eglect of
battling with these vile creatures is the great
bane to successful cultivation; but as long as