The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-31
Great Interest Taken in
 Meeting at Thorsby.
President Heiixes of Huntsville Reads Exhaustive Report, and Papers on
 Many Subjects are Delivered. The Fruit Industry.
By wni T. sheehan.

Thorsby, Jan. 30.-(Special )-The fruit growers and truck farmers who | form the Alabama Horticultural Society in this. perhaps the greatest fruit growing, town of the State.
 Fruit and vegetables are to Thorsby what cotton is to so many the towns of middle and southern Alabama, and the men from other sections of the State, whether they are raising fruit in the Tennessee Valley or in the mild and delightful climate of the Gulf coast are receiving a cordial and hearty welcome The town Is literally theirs.
 There was a large attendance at the first sessions of the society. The so- ciety is young yet, for this Is it's third meeting, but it is growing rapidly, even as the fruit t-growing interests are growing rapidly. But the interests for which the fruit growers stand for are themselves young. for 1t has only been in the past three years that fruit-rais- ing and vegetable growing assumed any sort of importance in Alabama. Thorsby itself is less than nine years old. Its people are nearly all of Sca9- dinavian descent, who came South to grow fruits and vegetables. It has population of 500, wr" S.e wrapped Up in the interest of the fruit crop.
 The Horticultural Society met this morning in the Normal School building. More than seventy-five delegates were present, outside of a large number of visitors, which was considered a good attendance, in view of the youth of the society.
 After President Heikes had rapped the society to order. an impressive in vocation was offered by Rev. Mir Hell land of the Swedish Lutheran Church of Thorsby. The hearty welcome which the people of Thorsby had for the dele- gates was voiced by Mayor E. F. Mead in well-chcsen words. Of especial in terest to the delegates was his account of the founding of the town of Thors- by, of the struggles of the people. their hopes, their fears and their disappoint- ments. He was glad to assure his hear CTS now that the feet of Thorsby's peo- pie were on firm ground and the future was bright with promise
 The response fer the fruit growers was voiced handsomely and well by Professor Douglas Allen of the District Agricultural School at Jackson.
 President W. r. Heikes of Huntsville. who has headed the society since its organization. read his interesting and exhaustive report. For the considers- tion of the members of the society, he recommended the study and discussion of clover crops for orchards and move ment in Alabama to protect its inter- ests from further forest depreciation. He called special attention to the prom thence of the horticultural department of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute and the work it was doing. He called attention to the need of a special build ing for the horticultural department at Auburn.
 He declared that the progress made in planting fruit and nut orchards in Alabama had far exceeded his expec- tations. He suggested at this meeting a general exchange of information as to the fruit and farming laads of the State to ascertain which had done best