38 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Experiences of a Virginia Fruit Grower. 



Bv S. L. LuPTON, of Winchester, Va. 



Mr. President, members of the Connecticut Pomological 

 Society, ladies and gentlemen : I am exceedingly glad to be 

 with you to-day. and especially glad to see so many ladies in 

 the audience. There is always room in a horticultural society, 

 in this and every other state, for the ladies. There is always 

 room in agriculture for the ladies. Those of you who have 

 not yet succeeded in attaching yourselves to some coming 

 Connecticut horticulturist must bear in mind that there is even 

 room in agriculture for single ladies. Perhaps you are not 

 aware of the fact, but it is stated to be a scientific fact, that 

 you can not grow clover without old maids. (Laughter.) Old 

 maids keep cats, cats destroy field mice, and field mice, if 

 allowed to propagate, destroy the bumble bees, and the bumble 

 bees carry the pollen, without which we cannot have thrifty 

 clover. So if we have no old maids we would have no cats 

 to destroy the field mice, and the field mice would destroy the 

 bumble bees, and we would have no clover. (Laughter.) I 

 merely throw that out as a suggestion to add to the comfort 

 of some of you to-day, if any of you need such comfort. 



I feel somewhat embarrassed in talking to an organization 

 like this, many of the members of wdiich have grown old in 

 this business, and all of whom have had the pleasure of hav- 

 ing such a horticultural teacher as our friend Hale. Perhaps 

 I can best explain to you just how I feel by telling you a 

 story, and as the theme of my story is laid in that better land, 

 where moths do not corrupt, and where thieves do not break 

 through, nor steal, you may like to know about it. Xot very 

 long ago a citizen of your neighboring State of Pennsylvania 

 died and went to his reward. He went up and claimed admis- 

 sion at the pearly gates. St. Peter asked him upon what 

 ground he asked admittance, to which he replied : 'T am one 

 of the survivors of the horrors of the Johnstown flood, and 

 I claim admission to this celestial country by reason of the 

 good service that I rendered on that occasion." St. Peter 

 recognized the justice of the claim, and he was admitted to 

 fellowship within the gates. This so pleased our friend from 



