STATE HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY. -15 



persist in getting his seed from cider-mills, to the imaginary detri- 

 ment of all planters. 



Let me say right here that I claim the honor of being a nurser- 

 yman^ and presume one of the much despised ones, and shall not say 

 as one said this morning, that I have no ax to grind, for I have one, 

 and the Society has given me a chance to grind it. Who is there, 

 among all plant growers present, who cares what the plant is, so the 

 desired results are attained. Let us again take animal life and 

 results for an example. It is within the experience of every stock- 

 raiser in the country that when stock is neglected and starved that 

 they are thrice subject to all the ills to which animal life is heir, 

 and produce poorest results. Also, on the other hand, when the 

 necessities of the animal are fully supplied, all the necessaries per- 

 taining to their welfare and the desired results placed at their 

 disposal, that they are then, and only then, in a condition to return 

 good results. Consecpiently, those interested, have taken scientific 

 facts as their guide, and if they want milk, they feed for it ; if beef, 

 feed for it ; if butter, feed for it ; it matters little what kind the 

 stock may be, if principles are adhered to, results will be good. 

 They have carried science so far as to almost veto the cow. Now, I 

 think that the answer to this vexed question of plant life and profit, 

 lies in scientific research, instead of theory. And I think the Hor- 

 ticultural Society is on the right road in establishing Ad-mterim 

 Committees and Experimental Stations. Agricultural colleges are 

 very good, yet they are liable to be biased in their desires and man- 

 ner of treatment, also local difiiculties. 



Now, T want to grind my ax ! We, as nurseryman, know some- 

 thing, and I, for one, have gotten my knowledge from dearly paid 

 experience. I will take the apple tree for example, as it is one on 

 which argument seems to center, and I am better posted. We take 

 the much abused cider-mill seed as our germ ; we prepare our ground 

 and grow our stock one year for a desired result, and experience has 

 taught that culture very largely governs results, yet I will tell you 

 something more, farther on about this. In the fall we take up our 

 roots and graft our stock for exactly opposite results, afterward 

 planting them out to grow for the much-abused consumer. When 

 we dig after two or three years growth, we find there are some char- 

 acteristics in the soil which plants seek for. For instance, we find, 

 perhaps, on one side of the tree only large brace roots, while on the 

 other there may be one single root, or the whole side of the tree 

 literally crowded full of small fiberous or feeding roots reaching 

 into some peculiar soil. An old stump or some particularly fertile 

 spot taking to itself necessary life-giving properties. Let science 

 say what it is ! 



I wish to say one more thing that we know. That is, people 

 say: "Oh, you propagate from scions cut from the nursery row from 



