ouse at Lancaster, Pa., beginning December 18, 1912,
at 10 A. M.; President Morris presiding.

The Chairman: The meeting will be called to order. We have first an
address by the Mayor of Lancaster, Mayor McClean. (Applause.)

Mayor McClean: Ladies and gentlemen of the Northern Nut Growers
Association:

The Mayor of a city of the size of this, in which conventions meet so
frequently, is so often called upon to make a speech that the prospect
of having to do so causes him some disturbance of mind, not only on the
day of the delivery of the speech but for many days preceding; but I
confess that the invitation to come here today has had no such effect on
me. I am very glad to meet and mix up with the members of this
organization. The evolutionists tell us where we came from; the
theologians, where we are going to; but no matter how much we may differ
as to the theories of these respective leaders of thought, upon one
thing we can all agree and that is that we are here. You ladies and
gentlemen representing the Northern Nut Growers Association are here to
interchange opinions and discuss questions which have to do with the
greater success of the very useful industry, the youthful and useful
industry, in which you are engaged. I am here as the Mayor of this
goodly town to tell you that you are not looked upon as intruders; that
we will be blind when you help yourselves to our wine flasks, but that
we will not be deaf should you ask for more. I am thoroughly in sympathy
with the purpose of this organization, understanding it to be the
encouragement of the planting of nut bearing trees in order that an
addition to our present food supply may be provided; and that much waste
land, now profitless, may be taken up and converted to practical and
profitable uses; and further that through the medium of such tree
planting and tree care as you propose, landscape embellishment in
greater degree than that which now exists may be provided. We hear very
much about conservation these days and it seems to me that the
proposition which you advance is conservation in a very worthy and very
high degree. The soil and climate of Lancaster County seem to be
peculiarly adapted to the growing of trees bearing nuts and fruits, and
I am sure that the result of this convention will be to stimulate
locally a very great interest in this worthy undertaking. You have
chosen wisely in selecting Lancaster as the place for this meeting,
because we feel and