Tenth Annual Meeting 151 



wine-making in America, adding that he was pleased to hear 

 something new. I spoke as a member of the Connecticut 

 Pomological Society, and I wore the badge of that Society at 

 the gathering. 



After recess, we went in a body to the Oberlin Experiment 

 Station, situated about two miles out in the country. To my 

 surprise I found a lot of about twenty acres entirely given up to 

 the testing of every variety of vines from all the world. They 

 were divided up in rows, with vines for the purposes of market, 

 table and wine, all properly labeled as to name, origin, donator 

 and sugar percentage on the "must scale." All our cultivated 

 varieties of North America, as well as those of Asia and Europe, 

 were growing lu.xuriantly. 



Mr. Charles Oberlin, of Beblenheim, the director of the 

 Station, gave me some very valuable information. His work 

 embraces a life-time, as he proudly stated that ever since he was 

 twenty — he is now over seventy — he has been working towards 

 improving the wine grapes of Alsace, being the originator of 

 several early grapes. 



I would give you more information on this subject, but I 

 have taken too much of your time already, and will have to 

 close. Let us hope that the interest in viticulture will take a 

 strong hold in our state; we have all the requisites to make it 

 a success. 



Following this interesting paper, Mr. William H. Skillman, 

 of Rocky Hill, New Jersey, a well-known plum-grower in that 

 state, was introduced and spoke on "The Methods of a Suc- 

 cessful Plum -grower." 



THE METHODS OF A SUCCESSFUL PLUM-GROWER 



Mr. President: 



Allow me to thank you, and this Society through you, for 

 the pleasure and honor conferred upon me by asking me to 

 address you. 1 am sorry, however, that you did not get a 

 better man. When Secretary Miles asked me to come to 

 Connecticut I consented reluctantly, not because I did not 

 want to come, but because 1 realized that I would not be 



