sustain and nourish the fruit. This he does by pinching the fruit-bearing shoots very early in the season, so soon as the bunches of blossom buds appear. By this means he forces out laterals from the buds opposite to each bunch, and, later in the season, these also are pinched at their first leaf. Mr. Husman claims that by this method he produces larger and better foliage, and that he can keep up a succession of healthy leaves during the season; and, further, that these evaporating surfaces for elaborating the sap are in juxtaposition to the fruit, just where they should be, for we know the value of the leaves to healthy growth, and can guess their importance also in developing the buds at their bases. Some of our vine growers, by judicious pinching, will produce a strong cane and also have it furnished for a considerable portion of its extent, with spurs for fruiting, and all in one season's growth; this is doing two years' work in one, and requires a strong vine, but it may sometimes be desirable to work off the surplus energy of the plant in this way and prepare it for bearing fruit upon these spurs the next season. It had been my intention to have presented some views upon the subject of produ aing new varieties of fruits from the seed. This would have involved a discussion of the very interesting questions of crosses and hybrids, but its extensiveness will prevent its introduction upon this occasion, when your patience has already been severely taxed. For the present you must be content with a fraternal caution, not to allow yourselves to be deceived by all the reputed hybrids that may be presented to your notice, and a recommendation to cultivate no varieties in which the plant is not per fectly healthy and vigorous, no matter how attractive the fruit. I shall therefore now close, after directing your attention to some matters of busi Election of Officers.-Our constitution in section 6th prescribes the annual election of the officers of this Society. A change was introduced by A. H. Ernst, who suggested it while presiding at the December meeting 1854, (as appears in page 19 of the sixth Report) altering the regular meetings from annual to biennial, and thus the elections ceased to be held annually, but I find no record of any alteration of the constitution in accordance with this custom of holding over for two years. I therefore suggest, that the Society would act more in conformity with its organic law by holding its elections annually, and I have appointed a committee in accordance with this view of the case, who will, I trust, furnish us with a list of candidates worthy of our ballots. TREASURER'S REPORT. You will be gratified to learn that owing to favorable circumstances for the publication of the last Report, the society has been able to husband its slender resources, while at the same time our valuable discussions have been presented to the thousands of readers of the State Agricultural Report. By this presentation of the results of or labors to the reading agriculturists of the State, we fondly hope that our list of members will be largely increased from year to year, to the great advantage of all Let me urge upon each of you to appeal earnestly to your neighbors and friends on behalf of this society, induce them to unite with us in the good work we have under taken, and if they can not be persuaded to take a part with us in the labor to be performed, induce them, at least, to become contributing members. Neither the labor of the performance of such an undertaking, nor the glory that must ensue from its valuable results, should be allowed to continue the exclusive privilege of a few devoted men. Science and Art, as well as their excellent results, are the heritage of every son of our glorious republic, and each one of them should feel in duty bound to lend his hand to forward some good work for the common good. STRANGERS AND GUESTS. Rejoice with me, my fellow laborers, in this vineyard; you, now too few, alas! who have continued these many years, sometimes with little help, and almost without hope of success. Rejoice with me at the prospect before us. Here, in a new arena for our society, we find that our friends and co-laborers have stirred up a noble spirit of love and welcome among their neighbors to greet our approach. Such a manifestation is cheering to our hearts, and may be taken as an earnest of the valuable accessions to our ranks which we may expect among them. With me too, extend the hand of a warm welcome to our friends from "over the border," who had been induced to come to our annual love-feast, with their offerings to Pomona, who is to them so gracious in her gifts as almost to make us jealous of her favored proteges. Not only has Michigan sent her sons, but here we are rejoiced to see delegates from the rich plateaus of Indiana, and we had hoped also to have seen some from the broad savannahs of the glorious Prairie State, on the one hand, and from the billowy swells that flank the Alleghenies on the other side of us, progressive cultivators to aid us with their accumulated stores of observation in our favorite department. In conclusion, allow me to thank you all for your patience. In the name of the Ohio Pomological Society, I thank you all for the beautiful welcome you have given us, for the interest you have manifested in our welfare. The chill of your boreal atmosphere, now even hyperborean, yields, as melts the hoar frost 'neath a vernal sun, when it is warmed by such demonstrations of fraternal sympathy as those which greet and cheer us here on every side. Our young sister, the Horticultural Society of Toledo, has become at once matronly and majestic, when she donned the robe and assumed the office of hostess to her senior visitant, the Ohio Pomological Society. May an honorable and loving rivalry in good works long continue to commemorate this event. NOTE.-During the sessions we had visitors from Illinois, from Pennsylvania, and from New York. OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE OHIO POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 1864. President-DR. J. A. WARDER, Cincinnati. Sec'y and Treasurer-M. B. BATEHAM, Painesville. G. W. CAMPBELL, Delaware, Jos. Perkins, Cleveland. Dr. E. Taylor, S. D. Harris, 66 Capt. Danl. Stewart, West Cleveland. A. B. Buttles, Columbus. A. G. Hanford, 66 Members of the Committee ad interim with the above Officers. F. Pentland, Cincinnati. Thos. W. Johnson, 66 Dr. Jos. Taylor, E. Woodruff, Wm. Stoms, J. J. Cook, R. W. Steele, Dayton. Jacob Pierce, 66 Members of the Society who have not paid their annual fee ($1) for 1863, are requested to remit the same by mail to the Treasurer; and if they do not expect to be present at the annual meeting, they can at same time remit for the year 1864. It is proposed to revise the Constitution of the Society, at the next annual meeting; and provide for indexing the last three or four Reports, so that they may be bound in one volume, for convenient reference. Observe that the Secretary and Treasurer has changed his residence from Columbus to Painesville, O. April, 1864. Address, M. B. BATEHAM, |