Many new members came in at the Washington meeting. A number of others joined as a result of the publicity given the Association by several articles from the pen of one of the members which appeared in various publications. A still larger number appeared to be attracted by the offer which the secretary took upon himself to make, of the two first reports as a premium for new members on the payment simply of the postage for forwarding them. This action of the secretary was generally approved by the members of the executive committee, though there was some criticism from one or two members of the Association. But it seemed to the secretary better to make this attraction for new members, and to get out the reports where they might do some good, rather than to have so many of them sagging the beams in his attic. The secretary would suggest that in the future he be authorized to offer a complete set of the reports to all new life members, and to other new members the opportunity to buy the back reports at a reduced sum, say 50 cents, or even 25 cents each. This would give a little income toward the expenses of the Association. The copies of our reports are assets and should be realized on.
The field meeting held at the farm of Dr. Robert T. Morris at Stamford, Connecticut, on August 4 was well attended and was instructive and enjoyable. A full account of the meeting will appear in the American Nut Journal.
The recent establishment of this journal, partly through the efforts of members of the Association, is a cause for congratulation. We have once more a high class and attractive monthly periodical in which to exchange experiences and by which the public may be reached. Every member of the Association should feel a personal interest in making this journal a success and should seek the opportunity to send to the editor any items of interest to nut growers. Anything relating to this subject is of interest to the enthusiast. The more personal such a journal is made the better. It should not be monopolized by the so-called experts. Everyone interested in nut growing ought to feel it a duty, and consider it a privilege, to communicate scraps of information, little suggestions and, above all, questions and requests for information and advice. Even a little controversy would add spice. Too much harmony becomes insipid. This journal is as much for scrappers as for the men of peace. And, let me quickly add, the women too, suffragists, suffragettes, and antis and those who don't care. Twelve women are members of the Association and women are going to take a large share in nut growing and find in it a profitable and interesting occupation.
Arrangements are being made with the publishers of the American Nut Journal whereby membership in our Association may include subscription to the Journal at a very small increase in the cost of membership. If we can offer membership and the Journal for $2.50 in advance and the back reports for 50 cents apiece, or the three reports for $1, and send notice of this to our list of about a thousand correspondents, we ought to increase considerably our membership and do good to the world.
Our rule that membership shall begin with the calendar year always gives rise to some misunderstanding. Those who come in at the time of the annual meeting, or between it and the end of the year, do not like to pay another fee along in January. If there is no objection the secretary will hereafter inform each applicant for membership that membership expires with the calendar year, that membership may be taken out for the present or the coming year, and that membership entitles necessarily only to the publications issued during the year for which membership is taken out. In other words the proceedings of this meeting will be published in 1915 and members for 1914 will not be entitled to it unless paid up for 1915.
The investigation of the Persian walnut trees in the East is still going on but the results have not been collated.
I suggest the appointment of a committee to revise our constitution and rules. These have so far served our purpose fairly well but, in the opinion of the secretary, they now need modification and amplification.
I would recall to the attention of the members our present rule that all papers read before it are the property of the Association.
In conclusion the secretary would like to ask each member to help increase the prosperity and the usefulness of the Association by getting new members, by getting advertisements for the annual report, and by paying his annual dues promptly. It is a waste of any nut grower's time to have to dun a lot of careless people.
The President: The chair will now entertain a motion to approve the secretary's report.