EDITOR'S TABLE. 



exterior, is worth more than a polished style without a basis of sound judgment. But every 

 one will acknowledge the fact that a great deal was said which was of no use or interest ; and 

 it is not surprising that those who appreciate the importance of the work, should be somewhat 

 restive under an infliction of dullness, whose background is not even relieved by the comfortable 

 prospect of eight dollars a day, but which, on the contrarj^, must be paid for out of their own 

 pockets. 



The " order of business," according to the bye laws adopted at the last meeting, is as follows : 



1. Credentials of Delegates Peesented. 



2. Address of the President. 



3. Election of Officers. 



4. Reports of State Fruit Committees 



5. J\EW Business. 



The performance of the three first named duties, with the arrangement of the frmt for exhi- 

 bition, will be as much as can reasonably be hoped for the first day. The second day would 

 therefore begin with Reports of State Fruit Committees. These reports are exceedingly inte- 

 resting documents for study or reference, but are too long to be read to the meeting, and have 

 heretofore been passed to the Secretary, to be published in the record of proceedings. Kext 

 comes " Xew Business," which means anything connected with horticultural matters which any 

 member chooses to bring forward, and consists generally of discussions of the characteristics of 

 different fruits. This, therefore, is the most interesting and practically useful part of the pro- 

 ceedings — the part in which every speaker should be most concise and directly to the point — 

 the object being simply to elicit facts. It so happens, however, that many of the most thorougli- 

 ly practical men, who possess the richest store of facts, are the ones who are most diffident, and 

 have least fluency of speech. It were to be wished that every one would remember that the 

 assembly at such times is simply a court, before which they are only witnesses for or against the 

 character of the fruit under discussion. If they know anything bearing upon the case, which is 

 not already sufficiently proved, let them say it in as few words as possible ; if they know noth- 

 ing, let them be silent. If, however, every member would bear in mind, during the coming 

 summer, that he is to appear as a witness next autumn, and would take pains to note down, at 

 the time, every item of evidence which falls under his observation, and have his notes at hand 

 for reference when the subjects come up, it would greatly facilitate business and give much more 

 force to the final decision, than if each one depended on memory alone. It is to be hoped that 

 this plan will be generally adopted. 



Nothing would be of more essential value than accounts of carefully conducted experiments, 

 tending to elucidate new facts or decide disputed points. But the fact is, there are few men 

 who are capable ; or, if capable, who have the time and opportunity for conducting horticultural 

 experiments in such a manner as to arrive at conclusive, or even very reliable results. So many 

 elements are involved, and these elements are subject to such an infinite variety of changes' 

 that it requires keen observation, sound judgment, and untiring patience, to carry out any really 

 important experiment in culture. It is not to be done in one year, and may require the coac- 

 tion of several parties. Unless it is thoroughly performed, it is worse than useless ; for it may 

 lead to wrong conclusions, and, enlisting party spirit on its side, bar the passage to correct in- 

 vestigation. If any one doubts either of the above assertions, let him begin the perusal of all 

 that has been written on the " Strawberry question," and report his opinion after he is through. 

 Still, it is to this source that we must look for the most valuable results ; and the Pomological 

 Society could in no way more efi"ectually advance its objects, than by instituting a series of 

 experiments, to be conducted at diff'erent points, under the superintendence of Committees, who 

 should report at the biennial meetings. The results of such experiments would have much more 

 weight than those arrived at by an individual ; but it is doubtful whether the Society is 

 condition to undertake them, and meantime every individual report is of value. 



TOU IT. B 3 



