BANQUET TO GARDENERS. - 39 
careful perusal of his will, have convinced me that the 
Garden was intended to cover in its aims this broad field. 
To do this wisely, requires a more than superficial famili- 
arity with the scope of the subject and with all that is 
doing in this country and elsewhere to elevate the art above 
the drudgery to which it is sometimes reduced. That the 
horticulture of this country may profit by whatever the 
Garden may find it practicable to do in this direction, and 
that the Garden may profit in laying and developing its 
plans by the ripest wisdom and the fullest experience of 
America’s ablest horticulturists, will, I hope, result directly 
or indirectly from this institution which we inaugurate 
to-night. That associations favoring this mutual helpful- 
ness might result from it, was, I do not doubt, the wish 
and object of the Founder of the Gurden in providing for 
these annual gatherings. 
In carrying out the ideas thus briefly outlined, the Garden 
must properly study how to avoid useless waste of material 
and energy, — how best to apply its resources that the 
greatest possible good may result. If I do not mistake the 
nature of the work before us, it should begin at home, and 
should first concern itself with problems of direct interest to 
the horticulturists of the unusually fertile though as yet but 
imperfectly developed region in which we are situated. It 
is our privilege to have with us this evening a gentleman 
who has for many years been connected with horticultural 
work in Missouri, and whose opportunities for studying its 
needs and for observing all that is doing for its improve- 
ment have been exceptional. We wish to profit by his 
knowledge, and it gives me much pleasure to introduce to 
you Mr. L. A. Goodman, the Secretary of the State Hor- 
ticultural Society of Missouri, who has kindly agreed to 
speak on the horticultural needs of Missouri. 
:au 
oat 
