After very thoroughly studying the whole question and examining the facts much more fully than can be explained within the compass of a short report, your committee claim with great positiveness that "orcharding can be made financially successful in Pennsylvania,” for the following among many other reasons:

1. The broken, rolling character of the surface of the State favors fruit culture. Every township and almost every farm has its welldrained slopes, with suitable subsoil and exposure for growing some variety of fruit with profit.

2. The location of the Sate in the sisterhood of States favors it. Lying between forty and forty-four degrees of north latitude, and protected from the blizzards of the West by mountain ranges and hills, extremes of climate and storms are not as great.

3. The experience of skillful fruit growers proves it. Very little attention has been paid to skillful fruit culture in Pennsylvania as compared with other more successful States. But perhaps every county has its successful fruit raisers. These are men who have put to the raising of some one or more kinds of fruit the same skill and means that bring success in other avocations of life. The writer could fill page after page with names and facts to prove this if it was thought necessary. Perhaps every one who hears this can recall successes in raising profitably small fruits, grapes, peaches, pears, apples, plums, or quinces, while some of our veterans have been successful with all. These successes have been achieved in all parts of the State, on all kinds of soil and with every exposure. Indeed, so varied have been these conditions that every locality, soil and exposure has its special advocates, showing that skillful culture will secure success under widely different conditions.

Many other reasons might be advanced but must be omitted for want of space. We fully believe there is nothing in locality, soil or climate that prevents Pennsylvania from becoming one of the most successful fruit growing States in the Union.

But, if what is here claimed is correct, why, we are asked, "does fruit culture fail to be financially successful in our State?" We deny that it does fail. We claim that those engaged in fruit culture in Pennsylvania meet with as full a measure of financial success as the same means, attention and skill would have secured by any other use of the same amount of land. Success and failure are the results of the same inexorable laws in every avocation in life; persistent industry and skill in the use of the necessary means bring success. It is because these are so rarely applied to fruit growing that it does not pay. In fact, fruit growing as a distinct branch of business for profit, has as yet, scarcely a foothold in Pennsylvania. Most farms and residences have trees and vines planted for home use, which are allowed to die or overcome difficulties, and do well or ill, as they may, with the little or no attention given them; and then failure or success proves nothing. The few who have gone into it as a business have been pioneers who have had to learn by expersence, and pay, sometimes, very dearly for that experience. Those who continue until they acquire the same degree of knowledge in this business that is necessary to secure success in other branches of business, and apply the same business, principles, are sure to succeed. The others are certain to fail.

"What then shall we do to secure financial success in fruit raising in Pennsylvania?"

We answer, make it a business, and apply to it the same attention, skill and means as successful business men do to other branches of business. With these success is sure to follow; without no one has a right to expect success.

To particularize we say:

1. Unless you possess the necessary knowledge and experience, employ skilled labor as men do in mechanical and mercantile enterprises. This is as yet very scarce, and the sooner more attention is given to securing means of instruction for young men desiring to follow this business as a profession, the better. Why should not this association move in the matter?

2. Decide what kind of fruit will best suit your locality, ground, means and skill.

3. Select a well drained slope, not too much exposed and in a fair state of cultivation. This and after treatment are more important than the kind of soil. Dig large and deep holes, fill on the top soil first and plant a little deeper than the tree stood on the nursery.

4. If for profit, select a few varieties of healthy fresh trees direct from the nursery, known to be hardy, productive and salable. Except for family use, ten acres of one variety is more profitable than of any other number of varieties. Fifteen acres of Baldwins made the Miller Brothers, of New York rich.

5. Cultivate as you would your potato or corn crop, examine your trees three times a season for the borer and other enemies, wash them twice with soap suds or other substitute.

6. Pick and handle fruit carefully and grade it carefully before marketing. More money will be gotten for the fine fruit if the cullings are thrown away, than if all is sold together.

7. If fruit is plenty, keep yours till the glut is over. The greatest sources of failure to make fruit culture pay is in handling, grading, preserving and marketing the fruit. Half a crop well handled and sold when the market wants it, will pay well; while a full crop rushed into market in the usual way when it is overstocked, will leave no profit.

8. Fruit caves, cellars or houses of some sort, the more perfect the better, are absolutely necessary to success, and farmers and fruit growers must combine to secure them. Egg packers and butter packers and fresh meat dealers understand this. They secure refrigerator cars for shipping also, and they coin money in simply handling and marketing these products, while the producers who have not these conveniences, must just take what they are offered. Without means of preserving and skill in handling fruits, the grower is subject. to the same loss.

Your committee see no reason for discouragement. Fruit grown in Pennsylvania is not now a profitable business we admit, but it can and should be made so. The nearness of good markets fully makes up for any advantages other States may have over us. To follow the few brief suggestions here given, with the pluck, intelligence and skill that Pennsylvanians bring to other business enterprises will bring success and place our State in the van of successful fruit producing States, where it by rights ought now to be. Respectfully submitted.

GEORGE F. MCFARLAND,

Chairman.

President COOPER. This is a very able report and is now open for discussion.

Mr. SATTERTHWAIT. The report is very complete and I don't think needs any discussion.

Mr. ENGLE. If the horticulturists of this State could realize the amount of fruit we import I think much more would be planted.

Col. MCFARLAND. I have watched this matter closely in Harrisburg, and know several dealers who import thousands of barrels of apples annually from New York. It is clearly our own fault. We don't raise wheat and fail to garner it, but we do raise apples and fail to properly utilize them.

Mr. MOON. The report of Orcharding Committee is very complete, especially the part referring to the keeping of apples. I know parties who bought apples last fall at forty cents per bushel and who could have doubled their money before Christmas.

Mr. COMFORT. Fruit in Bucks county was a total failure last fall. This is why party referred to went abroad to buy apples.

Col. MCFARLAND. We plant too many varieties. If we would plant one hundred trees of a kind we would do better. It does not pay to gather a few here and there, and fruit packers will not buy them. I am ashamed to say that I have over five hundred trees and I don't know how many varieties.

Mr. LONGSDORF. The paper just read is a very important one. We have had an enormous apple crop in Pennsylvania the past year, especially in the central and eastern portions, but what have we to show for it now? I don't know of an instance where the grower has profited by his enormous crop. It has been truly said we have no commercial orchards and we grow too many varieties. Many of our orchards have but one or two varieties that are desirable for shipping, and some have not enough good winter apples to justify a merchant in barreling and shipping them. Excepting the York Imperial, most of the fruit was either allowed to waste upon the ground or made into cider and applejack. We can succeed if we go into the business in the proper way. In some sections people are awakening to the proper method and are making it a success. As to quality, I believe Pennsylvania can produce as good fruit as is grown anywhere.

Mr. SATTERTHWAIT. The reason apples did not pay in our locality was owing to the drouth. We had no rain for two months, causing the fruit to drop prematurely, and we lost three-fourths of it in that way. What we secured has kept all right.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FRUIT HOUSES.

Judge STITZEL. As chairman of this committee I am sorry to say I have not had time to prepare a written report.

There is no longer any doubt as to the success of refrigerator-houses if properly constructed and managed. There are several in operation. in the city of Reading, and they are proving profitable both to the owners and users.

At our last annual meeting a committee was appointed to visit some of the Reading fruit houses and submit a report of their observations. I have also visited a number during the interum, and have found a great difference in style and methods of construction. Have found, however, that small houses are not generally a success. Have found them costing from $300 to $10,000. I have drawings of two, one cost