STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. ']'J- 



say excellent. The prize which has been given for this exercise 

 in ability and in judgment is a very appropriate one. It is a 

 v\^ork on systematic pomolog>\ The score card work as an 

 accurate method of judging fruit is a definite part of systematic 

 pomological work. Therefore this is a stimulus to the person 

 who won the prize to go on, to continue in the good work. We 

 are led into various types of work in various ways. This is 

 one way in which to interest young men — judging fruits. It 

 is the way in which to learn the qualities of fruits. I have to 

 announce that Mr. Wadsworth is the winner of the prize. 



STARTING A COMMERCIAL ORCHARD. 

 By Prof. F. C. Sears^ Massachusetts Agricultural College. 



I have not prepared a paper to read to you, and I don't know 

 but that I have made a mistake in not doing so. I heard Mr. 

 Collingwood, the editor of the Rural New Yorker, speak a short 

 time ago at a meeting and he read his paper, and he gave an 

 explanation of reading the paper instead of speaking. But a 

 short time before that he had heard his little girl and little boy 

 discussing whether they would rather have a minister read his 

 sermons or speak from notes, or speak without having manu- 

 script, and the little girl said she would rather he would read 

 his sermon because then he knew when he got through. Now 

 for that reason particularly perhaps I ought to have prepared a 

 paper, but I will try not to prolong this sermon unduly. 



Your President in introducing me has said something of what 

 I intended to say in starting this matter, what I presume most 

 of you know, that I expect to talk to you from my own personal 

 and practical experience. As he has said, formerly professors 

 were not supposed to be practical. They were supposed to be 

 strictly theoretical, and if they had any experiences those were 

 theoretical too, and they didn't get down to the practical end 

 of the business at all. Prof. Waugh and I have always had 

 faith in this apple business and have been teaching it for a good 

 many years, and we thought it would be a fine thing to eke out 

 a small salary with the returns from a fine orchard. So this 



