Please bear in mind that in every move we must remember that this is a new industry of the soil and, although we believe it has a great future, all groving procedure must be felt out and experimented with as we have no guide to go by, just ideas, and you can expect to make some mistakes. But that is life. * * * * * The President asked Dr. Deming to speak of the death of Mr. Bixby. Dr. Deming: On August 16th not a single member of this association, so far as I know, was aware that Mr. Bixby was even ill, and yet on that day he was dead. Mrs. Bixby has written me an account of his illness and his life. He had pneumonia in March from which he never fully recovered. The cause of his death was not known until after his death. I knew Mr. Bixby very well and came to appreciate his very sterling qualities. He was always willing to take any amount of trouble and spend any amount of money on his nut culture experiments. I will now read Mrs. Bixby's account of his life. Willard G. Bixby was born July 13, 1868 at Salem, Massachusetts, the son of Henry M. and Eliza (Symonds) Bixby. In 1898, he married Genevieve Cole who died in 1901. He married second, Ida Elise Tieleke who survives him. His early education was received in the public schools in Salem and, after graduation from high school, he entered Massachusetts Institute of Technology from which he was graduated in 1889 with the degree of S.B. and the highest honors. After receiving this degree, he remained at the institute as an instructor in mechanical engineering, later becoming associated with the Pneumatic Dynamite Gun Company of New York, following which he became connected with the American Bell Telephone Company of Boston. In 1891, he entered the employ of S. M. Bixby and Company, manufacturers of shoe blacking. The firm became involved financially in 1895 and until 1898 was conducted by a receiver. Mr. Bixby interested capitalists and organized a corporation to take over the business of the old company. Mr. Bixby was elected treasurer and held that position until 1911, when he was chosen vice-president. He paid special attention to the manufacturing department. Under the new management the company met modern trade conditions and the business which developed was one of the largest and most prosperous in this line in the country.