DECEMBEK MEETING. 309 



should be, the deep anow of oui- Avinters will cover and securely protect them 

 from winter killing. 



In confirmation of wliat I have said concerning the superiority of the soil 

 and climate of our region for fruit growing, I call your attention to the fact 

 that we have formerly taken lirst premium for best Delaware vineyard in the 

 State, and have this year taken first i)remiums for best pear orchard, plum 

 orchard, cherry orchard, raspberry garden and ornamental grounds, and want 

 of age alone prevented us from obtaining first premium for apple orchard; 

 while our fruits, wherever exhibited, have taken a large share of first premiums, 

 and our apples at our State fairs, at the Centennial, and wherever exhibited, 

 for beauty of color, perfection of form, and excellence of flavor, have stood 

 confessedly without a rival — demonstrating the fact that if the apple is the 

 king of fruits, then the Grand Traverse region is the seat of his empire. 



The next discussion was opened by Secretary Chas. AY. Garfield upon the 

 question, 



HOW yilALL WE EXPEEIMENT? 



The question that stands as an index, or rather a suggestion, to the few re- 

 marks I am about to make is assuming greater importance with the years, be- 

 cause people arc looking more toward empirical knowledge for help than for- 

 merly, and are paying less attention to theories, traditions, and prejudices. 

 There is the same continuous thirst after new things in every department of 

 life, and horticulturists are no exceptions. A beautiful theory may invite the 

 attention, even although it may have been originated by one who has never per- 

 formed an experiment; but it will not long satisfy. Our people want facts 

 that are the result of careful observation and experiment. These they can take 

 hold of and incorporate into their own methods. But however true this may 

 seem, this thirst after new things is so strong that careful, well-directed experi- 

 ment can not come fast enough to satisfy, and there is a manifest tendency to 

 reach into the beyond and grasp for something we hope is there, believe is there, 

 and often we name it before we reach for it, then grasp only vacancy and, as 

 we hold up our hands to show what we have, are surprised to find nothing 

 there. 



The desire for sensation stimulates into activity the imagination, and mere 

 thought takes the form of reality. This is, in popular language, theorizing — 

 the very thing that most of us condemn and ridicule, and still the very thing 

 we are doing every day unwittingly, in one way or another. 



It is so easy to let the imagination do the work, and so quickly is it done. 

 While on the other hand, careful experiment requires so much attention, care, 

 and thought, that it is a great temptation to let the former take the place of 

 the latter. 



One may start out with an honest intention of conducting a careful experi- 

 ment and, after following it for a time, the final result seems so evident that 

 the temptation to "run across lots," thus gaining time, is too strong, and a 

 portion of unexplored territory remains behind. The great majority of "I be- 

 lieves" among farmers and fruit-growers are made up of just such experiments 

 as I have indicated, and nearly the whole of them are entirely worthless be- 

 cause of the lack of the connecting links of careful observation that were lost 

 by running across lots, or in other words, jumping at conclusions. 



We cannot put too high an estimate upon actual knowledge — hard facts — 



