WINTER MEETING. 287 



and low prices of peaches. Oar best blackberries are Taylor and 

 Snyder. Early Har^rest is a profitable sort to grow for distant markets 

 when not caught in cold winters. 



The platn crop this year was immense, bat prices were so low that 

 they barely paid the express charges. 



Taking in the whole field, the season of 1895, as I estimate it, was 

 not what might be called a very saccessfal year in Kansas with small 

 frnits. There were three "ifs" in the way : Drouth and frost reducing 

 the product, and the ten days that Northwest Arkansas continued to 

 «hip berries after our berries were ready to market. 



Now, Mr. President, considering all the ups and downs in a fruit- 

 grower's life, are we not the most patient people on the earth 1 St. 

 James, in his epistle, 5 and 7, holds the fruitgro wers up for an example 

 to the young disciples of his time in the following language : "Behold 

 the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath 

 long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." Mr. 

 President : We bow in submission to the hoary frost and drouth ; 

 are patient with Kansas windstorms and destructive insects ; are 

 patient with dealers and consumers for bearing down the values of 

 our products. We are patient with the careless handling of railway 

 and express carriers ; and patient even with the dishonesty of com- 

 mission merchants : in fact, we are patient under all sorts of hard 



trials and tribulations. 



B. F. Smith, Lawrence, Kansas. 



Music, piano and violin, by Miss Grace and Miss Clara Hubbert. 

 Recitation, "Tommy," Miss Ethel Harvey. 



Prof. Walters delivered his article with illustrations of his figures 

 and tools. 



Farm and Orchard Engineering^. 



Farm and orchard engineering is that branch of applied mathe- 

 matics that treats of surveys for and the building of roads, drives, 

 walks, terraces, sewers, drain-tiles, -water services, foundations, tree 

 planting and the measurement of surfaces and also the estimation of 

 the contents of bins, boxes, etc., etc. 



The subject does not necessarily involve more than the elements 

 of arithmetic. 



In the Annual Report of this Society for 1894, commencing about 

 page 69, will be found some hints and helps on making levelings. 

 There is also a description of a cheap home-made level. 



