Connecticut Pomological Society

In February 1891, a group of peach growers under the leadership of the Secretary of Agriculture, Theodore S. Gold, met in the State Capitol to talk about the formation of a fruit society. John Smith of New Britain was elected president of the Society. J.H. Hale of South Glastonbury, the first commercial fruit grower in the country, was active in the society and began serving as president 1895. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, growers interplanted apples in peach orchards and these apples began to produce in the early 'teens. Throughout its history, the Connecticut Pomological Society has been involved in the development of pest management and disease control for Connecticut's orchards.

In February 1891, a group of sixteen peach growers under the leadership of the Secretary of Agriculture, Theodore S. Gold, met in the State Capitol to talk about the formation of a fruit society. In December of that same year, forty growers met and elected John Smith of New Britain, CT, as president. J.H. Hale of South Glastonbury, CT, who claimed to be the first commercial fruit grower in the country, was present at all these meeting but did not serve as the president of the society until 1895. Nonetheless, Hale was surely one of the prime movers of the organization. At the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century, growers, acting on the advice of men like J.H. Hale, had interplanted apples in peach orchards. These apples began to produce in the early 'teens.

Since its founding, the Connecticut Pomological Society has been involved in development of pest management and disease control for Connecticut's orchards.

(Historical information from Histories of Connecticut Orchards .)