112 THE COXNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



enjoyed some of Connecticut's hospitality, which is quite equal 

 to any we have south of Mason and Dixon's hne. From 

 remarks made by Mr. Cross, referring to an additional appro- 

 priation for your Society, reminds me of something I once 

 heard, and that was the definition of an expert. Professor 

 Wall made use of the term expert before a committee at 

 Washington once, and he was asked by the chairman of the 

 committee to define what an expert was. and he said, "an 

 expert is the last man to find out the facts." He was then 

 asked what an agriciihural expert was ; his reply was, "an 

 agricultural expert was a man that made two dollars grow 

 on an appropriation bill w^here one did before." I give you 

 that fact for the benefit of your legislative committee ; I think 

 probably it will help them some, if they will turn themselves 

 into agricultural experts, and make two dollars grow where 

 one did before. Thanking you for the opportunity of saying 

 a word for Virginia, and hoping we may meet you sometime 

 in the historic valley where I live, I shall, like my friend here, 

 wait until to-morrow to give you some facts on the question 

 of organization among fruit growers. 



Mr. A. G. Sharp of Richmond, Mass., spoke next, as fol- 

 lows : — 



Mr a. G. Starr : Air. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : 

 I can certainly say I am very happy to be with you here this 

 evening. As most of you know, I have had the honor of read- 

 ing a paper before this Society at three different times, and 

 I think that is honor enough for one man from Massachusetts. 

 I was a little late in getting here to-day, but still in time to 

 hear Mr. Cross of New York state, and, by the way, I am 

 somewhat of a "cross" myself, perhaps you might call it a 

 Sharp-Cross between New York state and Connecticut. My 

 father was a New York state man, brought up on the Hudson 

 river, while my mother was a Grififin, and my forefathers on 

 that side owned one of the largest houses in Connecticut, the 

 old stone house in Guilford, so that I am interested both in 

 New York state and Connecticut, though I am residing about 

 half way between, in the Berkshire hills, a very pleasant place, 

 and I would be happy to see any and all of you there at some 



