MR. CHASE: And the 71 lost, you considered about normal, didn't you? We have to figure on losing about 10 per cent. Well, we can't afford to lose a hundred.
I don't have too much to report as Secretary, except we might briefly review this hectic year since the little sub-zero walnut story appeared in the Farm Journal. In June a year ago I received a request for an article on the hardy English walnut. I handled it as a routine request and sent it to the Farm Journal. Of course, Joe McDaniel was secretary, and I referred all the interested readers to him for further information. The first batch of mail hit Joe right after our meeting in Rockport, and he had 1500 inquiries within two weeks. I forgot to warn him that this might be coming up, and he went ahead and handled about 1500 of these inquiries, and then I don't know what happened to him, he started sending them down to me. Between myself, my secretary, my wife, and my boy we handled the other 4,000, and they are still, as Joe says, actually coming in.
To handle that, took some of our funds as you see under "promotion business", in the treasurer's report. The mimeographing was gratis, also the assembling and mailing, but the postage we had to pay for.
So all we have to show for that is about how many members, Carl?
MR. PRELL: I will say 200.
MR. CHASE: That's about right. As these inquiries came in we compiled lists of names and sent them to Mr. Best. Then Mr. Best mimeographed a letter and some other material, along with an application folder and followed up these inquiries except the last 500. So we hit them once with a three-page information sheet from the Secretary's office, then Mr. Best at least once again with a follow-up letter, and out of almost 5,000 we get about 200 members, which is pretty good. And there are a lot of other folks I know would join if somebody would contact them.
MR. CHASE: So ever since last October I don't know what side is up so far as N.N.G.A. is concerned. I don't pretend it hasn't taken a good deal of effort and a lot of time from some things that I should have done, but I enjoyed doing it for the Association, and I have no regrets. The only thing I am sorry about is that we didn't get 500 instead of just 200 members.
PRESIDENT BEST: Thank you. Spencer. (Applause.) That's a fine report.
May we hear from our Auditing Committee, Mr. Silvis.
MR. SILVIS: The report of the Treasurer, which I have just had an opportunity of inspecting, is the most professional document I have ever had the pleasure of examining as a member of this Auditing Committee on which I have been several times. And I think a testimonial is due our Treasurer, Mr. Carl Prell, who has combined the rare talents of bookkeeping and comparative reporting.