1884.] TRANSACTIONS. 9 



grown, with greater or less success, in all our lacustrine Towns.* 

 Wheresoever its culture falls short, or fails, such a Station might 

 detect the trouble and discover its remedy. Individual research, 

 or trial, is apt to be uni-lateral, or prejudiced : Science is many- 

 sided and impartial ; seeking for truth, if mayhap at tlie bottom 

 of a well. We now grow much fruit and vegetables with marked 

 skill and success. Is it not our own fault if we omit to avail 

 ourselves of every appliance and methed that may serve to detect 

 and explain the latent reason for too frequent failures. The 

 Agricultural Societies are even now legally constrained to hold 

 Institutes, by way of some practical return for the State Bounty. 

 Too often it is like threshing an old bundle of straw. Few pause 

 in the course of hard, daily laboi', to note the reasons for success 

 or failure ; and, if the mind begins to speculate upon the knotty 

 problem, the thread of inquiry' is apt to be lost in the first night's 

 sleep. Fewer still are qualified by natural bent, or by training, 

 to follow a path of original research, usually intricate, mainly 

 obscure, and where the clue is either invisible or impalpable. 

 For all sucli investigation, — whether of Insect or Fungus ; — 

 which shall teach us to know our Insect Friends from our Insect 

 Foes; determining the cause of Yellows in the Peacli or Blight 

 in the Pear; sometliing more searching and precise is needed 

 than the occasional conference of friends and neighbors. Some- 

 thing more like the keen analysis and tireless watch of the acute 

 student of Nature, who takes nothing for granted; but, having 

 discovered the origin and source of disease, is not content until 

 he lias also found a perfect remedy. He alone can " prove all 

 things, holding fast that which is good." 



For a long series of years, — now well-nigh a generation, — the 

 present Secretary of this Society has been wont to prepare an 

 Annual Report upon matters that appeared to liira of interest or 

 instruction to his fellow-members. 



" Ye take too much on you, ye sons of Levi!" 

 Such may, or not, have been his individual fault or foible. Yet, 



* Graf tou and Shrewsbury at the foot and by the sliores of Quinsigamond. 



•where, as by the inhind Lakes of Central New York, the Graj^e and Peach 

 have flourished for aye: and upon whose opposite slopes and hill-sides, in 

 conjunction Avith the projected School of Xatural History, a Horticultural 

 Experiment Station could be essayed to the utmost advantage, at the least 

 cost, and with the must ett'ective and sure co-operation. " E. W. L. 



