226 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



do things? Could ho hope to ^ct even the rudiments of the business in his 

 natural life time? On the other hand, give him books and papers and, if he is 

 both studious and industrious, in five jTars he can be as successful as the most 

 of his neighbors. 



But let us look at the second charge against books and papers — that they arc 

 not written by practical men, and are full of theories and other worthless matter. 



Suppose they were all theories, which is not the case, by any means, they 

 would still bo valuable. Men do not often stumble over or discover vahiablc 

 things by chance. They are the result of careful study and thought. They 

 theorize! What matters it? — if but one theory of a thousand is valuable, we 

 want that one saved. Practical men study up these theories, and test by ex- 

 periment those that promise anything of value, and although their failures are 

 numberless yet every success may benefit mankind. 



Some of the crreatest discoveries and inventions have been worked out bv 

 men engaged in pursuits not at all related to that in which the invention is 

 classed. Watts, the celebrated inventor of the steam engine, was a jeweler by 

 trade. Many others can be mentioned. 



It does not follow that a man educated for a lawyer, a doctor, or a professor 

 of some branch of science, may not write a book or edit an agricultural paper 

 that will be valuable. If they have good judgment, and are close observers, 

 the professionally educated men can often grasp ideas that are too complex 

 for the ordinary intelligence, and present them in so simple a manner that the 

 average man can understand and profit by them. If a man is sometimes led 

 into doing unprofitable things from what he has read, he should not condemn 

 all printed matter; the same idea maybe of value to otliers, or, if not, he 

 certainly will not fail so often in tryinc: thinofs he reads about, as he would if 

 experimenting by himself alone. 



To be up with the times we must read the literature of the day, or be in 

 constant communication with some one wlio is a reader. 



With my limited experience in horticultural literature I will not attempt to 

 tell you what is best or what to select in the way of books or papers. There 

 is much that is valuable, but the greater number of us have not the means to 

 procure all we would like : we must study therefore to get what will be of the 

 most use. 



In the Pomological report for 187G, a very good list of books on horticult- 

 ure costing about 8100.00 is given by Professor Beal. ]\[ost men want a few 

 good books; they have neither the tinie nor money to expend in the studying 

 or buying of so many. I would recommend first some book that takes up the 

 general subject as a whole for fruit growing. My first choice would be the 

 American Fruit Culturist, by J. J. Thomas; price, 83.75. 



This book gives the methods of cultivation of all our ordinary fruits, and 

 also a good description of the best known varieties of eacli kind. 



Another c:ood book is Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America : price, 

 85.00. 



If I were specially interested in small fruits, pears, grapes, or any one 

 branch of fruit culture, I wouhl next procure a book that treats of that 

 branch only. Worden's Pomology gives the most extended descriptions of 

 apples, 83.00. For grapes. Fuller's or Strong's Grape Culturist; 81.50 each. 



Fuller's Small Fruit Culturist, price 81.50, is good on the small fruits. For 

 a cheap book, Purdy's Small Fruit Instructor, price 35 cents, is excellent; 

 while the five volumes of the Fruit Recorder, 1871 to 1875, arc a regular En- 

 cyclopedia on the subject. 



