64 ORCHARD FRUIT TREE CULTURE 



on subjects which closely concern us as fruit-growers, and it is of 

 the first importance that we should avail ourselves of it. Our lives 

 are too short and we are already too busy to make investigations 

 for ourselves, except perhaps in one or two directions, and it is 

 really nothing but a wise allocation of duties for some to investigate 

 and discover and others to apply the results. How utterly futile 

 and even contemptible it would be, say, for example, if we professed 

 to deal with the whole subject of fruit growing in a small book like 

 this ! The greatest genius cannot compress a library into one small 

 volume, and that is why we most earnestly recommend every 

 grower to acquaint himself with the works of authorities on special 

 subjects rather than to rely upon works of a more general character. 

 " A little knowledge is a dangerous thing." A half-informed man 

 may be more dangerous than a wholly ignorant one. He who 

 does not read, does not know ; and it would be very unwise for any 

 one, no matter how enthusiastic, to embark upon such a highly 

 technical and scientific undertaking as the growing of fruit without 

 preparing himself and fortifying himself with all the best and 

 expert knowledge available. 



Literature, whether in book or pamphlet form, or in that of a 

 weekly journal, such as The Fruitgrower , is as necessary as the staff 

 of life ; and even " he who runs " must read. 



