O'' 



20 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



respectively, we will have, except as to the age of the patients, the doctor's 

 exporinicnt exactly. 



What was proved ahout the pigs? ThatBcrkshires fatten better than Poland 

 Chinas? No more than the German's recovery proved sauerkraut to be a balm 

 for all his countrymeu. It did prove that sometimes an individual Berkshire 

 may do better than an individual Poland China, and if no otlier comparison 

 had ever been made it would leave the presumption in favor of supposing that 

 Berksliires would generally do better than Pohand Chinas. To establish this 

 conclusion it would be necessary in the first place to compare many pigs together 

 to be sure that the result was not due to individual peculiarities; secondly the 

 experiment would need to be repeated in many varying places and climates to 

 be sure that our results were not true of one place only; and finally we would 

 need to try it witli various kinds of food and styles of treatment before we 

 could really be certain that as a general fact, equally true of all places and 

 circumstances, Berksliires do better, with the same opportunities, than Poland 

 Chinas. 



Instances of such superficial experiment could be multiplied to any extent. 



I know of one case, a trial between two steers, where within a few days one 

 gained fifty pounds on the other, but on inquiry it was found that the heavier 

 animal had swallowed two pailfuls of water just before weighing I 



In another trial, an animal which failed to gain much weight was found to 

 have been teased every day by some small boys. 



Thus it will be seen that to prove any general statement by experiment is no 

 easy matter. Indeed, few have the time or means to make a really complete 

 test of any question. And yet we may, every one of us, do good work in 

 experimenting. 



To this end we will need to remember that good work docs not mean great 

 work, and we will have to learn to be content with seemingly very small results. 

 The lorinie rule always to keep in mind is this: Make sure of every step. 

 Leave no possible loop-hole for error, and after all is done be sure to announce 

 exactly what has been proved and no more. By practice of this kind our work 

 will gradually come to be recognized by competent critics as of substantial 

 value, and we will have prepared ourselves to be acceptable recruits in the volun- 

 teer corps of skilled experimenters Avliich science and our profession so sadly 

 need. 



Prof. Tracy spoke of the importance to the horticulturists of the State of a 

 discussion upon this topic, and hoped, inasmuch as the late hour prevented a 

 more extended deliberation in tliis direction, that it would be continued in 

 future meetings. 



S. L. Fuller said he was glad and sorry for some things he had learned ; he 

 was sorry because there were so many ditficultics in the way of successful 

 experimenting; he was glad that our Agricultural College boys had been 

 nudged in the ribs as to what they ought to do ; not but that they were at work 

 well, but he wished to see a continuance of excellent labor in just the direction 

 indicated. The University and the Agricultural College would soon rule the 

 State through those who were going out from these institutions, and he wanted 

 the boys to appreciate what was to be expected of them as men. He felt proud 

 of the good work done at these State institutions of learning, and wanted to 

 see them liberally supported for the sake of the good that was coming out of 

 them. 



