STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The State Horticultural Society held its eleventh annual meeting in the Assembly Chamber of the State House, at Trenton, December 29th, 1885. The meeting was called to order a few minutes after 10 o'clock by President Baker, who stated that we again assembled in this city by invitation of the Mercer County Board of Agriculture.

Ex-President Ward, of Essex, arose and said Mr. Ege, the President of the Mercer County Board of Agriculture, was present, and he would call on that gentleman for a few remarks.

Mr. Ege responded with the following words of welcome :

MR. PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY-To those of us who are deeply interested in the science of horticulture it is exceedingly gratifying to know that your meeting in this place one year ago was attended with so much encouragement, and was such a decided success that you have honored us with another visit, and, in behalf of the Mercer County Board of Agriculture, it again becomes my privilege to extend to you a cordial welcome, and pledging you our hearty co-operation in every effort put forth to promote and advance the interests of your Society, and in so doing let me assure you that I not only echo the sentiments of the members of our organization, but of all those interested in horticulture who were so fortunate as to attend the interesting and instructive meeting of last year.

The science of horticulture is making more rapid advancement than any other branch of the farmer's calling, and he must be wide awake indeed who would keep pace with its progress. Very many of the old methods are being discarded and cast aside and new theories advanced and supported by those who stand in the front rank among our most successful fruit growers, and it is a fact worthy of more than a passing notice that there is no branch of our calling which will awaken so much enthusiasm and such intense interest as that which

has called us together on this occasion. It must be admitted that there is also a rapid development and advancement in other departments of our agriculture: such as the improvement of our breeds of useful animals, and a more thorough and intelligent cultivation of the cereals; but these do not interest the progressive New Jersey farmer as much as formerly, for he feels that in order to avoid competition with the vast stock-raising and grain-producing States of the great West he will be soon compelled to abandon the production of bread and meat as profitable sources of income, and turn his attention to the cultivation of those products which from their perishable nature cannot be shipped long distances with profit.

We have in our county all the natural advantages favorable to such productions, and the exhibition of fruits and vegetables at the fair held by our Board last fall compared favorably, both as to quality and quantity, with any exhibition of the kind held in the State, and I have no doubt that its success was largely the result of the shaking up of the dry bones which was received through the meeting of your Society here last winter. And now, sir, in closing, let me say that we sincerely hope that at this meeting you will give us another such a shaking up that next year we may be able to report still greater achievements as the result of efforts put forth by this Society to awaken and stimulate an increased interest in this, the most profitable branch of our husbandry.

To this President Baker responded as follows:

GENTLEMEN OF THE MERCER COUNTY BOARD OF AGRICULTURE-Allow me, in behalf of this Society, as its presiding officer, to thank you for your kindly welcome to this, the capital of our State, the second time. It is exceedingly gratifying to us, as borticultural workers, that our efforts are not fruitless, and that the short time spent with you during our last annual meeting proved sufficiently interesting and profitable that you have allowed us again to renew and strengthen our brotherly relations, and as well our minds and purposes, through your and our experiences of the past year.

A society like ours needs a reason and a purpose for its existence. In the one case we have sufficient reason in the circumstances surrounding us—a soil adapted to fruits and vegetables of all kinds, and markets at our very doors sufficient to consume all we have to offer.