eventually be of great value. To land owners
who are planting private parks, avenues and pastures, we would recommend
nut trees.

The production of nut trees is very difficult, and the development and
testing of new varieties, a slow and expensive process. We need the
Government's helping hand, and are very glad that there has been set
aside by Congress an appropriation to help develop this industry. We
have with us, the Nut Culturist from the Department of Agriculture, who
is devoting his entire time along these lines.

On the programme that is to be presented here, today and tomorrow, are
men of national reputation in their respective lines, who stand at the
head of their profession. To our friends and visitors here, we extend an
urgent invitation, that you attend all the meetings possible, and we
trust that you may learn much that will be of interest, and that this
information may be taken home to your different communities.

Our sincere thanks should be extended to the Programme Committee and our
very efficient Secretary who have given so much time to this work.

For an association to stand still, is usually to go backward. Owing to
war conditions, and missing one meeting, we have had little chance to
increase our membership. I sincerely trust that the Membership Committee
will be active while here, and extend an invitation to all to become
members, and to help advance an industry that will be for the good of
posterity, and should give us much pleasure during our own lifetime.

We are told, the good we do unto others lives after us. May the Nut
Trees planted and fostered by the members of this association, live long
to wave their leafy branches under Heaven's purple dome, and may weary
pilgrims of future generations rest beneath their shade, and enjoy their
fruits, thanking us with a silent prayer that these trees were planted
for their benefit.

PRESIDENT REED: I believe the next thing in order will be the
reading of the secretary's and treasurer's reports. Does any one have
anything to present while we are waiting for the secretary, who is busy?

DR. MORRIS: How many members have we, Mr. President?

PRESIDENT REED: I don't know. Several have written me asking
about members, and Mr. Olcott probably knows something about it.

MR. OLCOTT: I don't know how many there are now; but I think
there were 150 or 200 at the time of the Stamford meeting. I think there
were that many enrolled. I presume that two-thirds