FRUIT committee's REPORT. 39 



it is doubtful if any greater field for usefulness in horticultural practice can 

 be found than that afforded by a careful study of, and thorough scrutiny into, 

 the peculiar characteristics of each variety, both of the tree and fruit, with a 

 view to making public the result of such study and scrutiny. A devotion of 

 themselves to this object, on the part of those competent to the task, would 

 tend greatly to the public good and their own credit. Its publication might 

 be in catalogue form, alphabetically arranged, for the convenience of refer- 

 ence, divided into summer, autumn, and winter varieties ; it should point out 

 the peculiar features of each variety, and classify each according to its merits 

 in comparison with some acknowledged standard, upder different heads ; as, 

 for instance, of very good, good, and indifferent or worthless ; at the same time 

 point out such as are adapted to orchard or general culture, and those which 

 are better suited to the purpose of the amateur ; indicating, also, the varieties 

 that succeed or do not succeed on quince stocks. Could this Society, in an 

 endeavor to carry out the objects for which it was instituted, in any more 

 effectual way subserve such purposes than by undertaking a work of this 

 kind? It need not be an expensive undertaking, and for the cost, whatever it 

 was, it would very probably be reimbursed by a sale of copies ; for a work 

 of the kind supposed, if properly executed, and published under the auspices 

 and sanction of this Society, would at once take its place as a standard author- 

 ity upon all matters of pomology of which it treated, and would supersede all 

 of a like character. If undertaken by the Society, the work must necessarily 

 be executed by a committee, to be very carefully selected from among those 

 most competent and of large experience, whose members should be of habits 

 of very thorough observation, of quick appreciation, sound judgment, cautious 

 and conscientious in arriving at conclusions, and by their character and position 

 placed above the slightest taint of suspicion of being influenced in their 

 action by any selfish or interested motive. A work of this kind, executed by 

 such hands, and published with such sanction, would be of great value to all 

 cultivators of the p°ar, and indispensable to all beginners, and to those of 

 little experience. This suggestion is not entirely new, though it is believed 

 to have never before been brought to the notice of the Society, but it has 

 been, years since, an occasional subject of conversation among a few of its 

 older members. Then it was agreed that the time had not arrived for such 

 an attempt, that there was not sufficient experience to warrant it. At this 

 time the state of things is very different; there is the accumulations of knowl- 

 edge derived from a further experience of some twenty years, and numerous 

 varieties then unknown have been tested. 



That a proper selection of varieties will mainly contribute to pecuniary 

 success in the growing of pears, has been again and again asserted. So 

 strong is the conviction of the importance of this selection, that upon it, more 

 than upon any other one cause, will, it is believed, depend success or the en- 

 tire failure of the enterprise. And yet to make such selection, is, to the 

 beginner, a matter of no little difficulty. Suppose that, confused by the long 



