ch overhung the sidewalk. The sides of the road
also were planted with tomatoes and other vegetables apparently
unharmed. The trees certainly did not show any evidence of injury from
depredations. Whether the products of the trees were taken or not I do
not know but they still had fruit on them. Possibly those who live in
that neighborhood--Mr. Olcott and Mr. Pomeroy--could tell us more in
defense of American civilization as to depredations on road-side
property.

MR. POMEROY: There are some people--what do you call them--dung
hills--in this world, and I have had a little trouble with them but not
much. They run around in automobiles and get out and take fruit. Dr.
Deming and Mr. Olcott know how close the school house is to my home. The
fact is the children walk under the nut trees when they take the cut
through the private driveway, but I have very little trouble with them.
I think the greatest object lesson was given last year, when two young
men, who were hunting pheasants, took a half bushel of nuts and were
caught at it. They did not think it amounted to anything. They came
along up to the house and the nuts were taken and put upon the drying
rack. While they were arguing an automobile stopped and the nuts were
sold. They came to nine dollars and a few cents by the pound. One of
these young men--he was in the retail tobacco business,--threw up his
hands and said, "I admit it; I would not want you to walk into my store
and grab nine or ten dollars' worth of goods; I admit this is all
wrong."

MR. R. T. OLCOTT: I have been very much surprised in the
discussion of road-side planting, of fruit and nut trees at the
prominence given to that feature of it which deals with the public
taking the crop. That seems to me to be such a minor part of the
proposition as to be almost negligible, and while it continues to arouse
discussion I cannot see the vital importance of it. In a great many
undertakings there are drawbacks but the undertakings go right on and
when the difficulties arise they are met in turn. I think the thing for
this association, and all others in favor of road-side tree planting to
do is to go ahead with the proposition and forget the question of the
crop and what is going to be done with it. As a matter of fact farmers
are complaining continually of the depredations on their orchards
resulting from the increase of automobile parties--perfectly respectable
people going out on the road-side and helping thems