206 TRANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTURAL 



places for the caravans of* settlers going to and coming from the 

 nearest towns, in which they could touch civilization and find a 

 market for their farm products. 



The first settlers found a sorry substitute for the fruit of their 

 eastern homes, in the native crab and thorn apples, and in wild 

 plums which grew in the groves and along the streams. Their " cup 

 of joy " was not filled until, in addition to the abundant harvest 

 from their fields, they could pluck the sadly-longed-for apple, peach 

 and pear of their former homes from trees of their own planting, 

 and could see their children reveling in such fruit feasts as had 

 gladdened the homes of their own childhood. By the enterprise of 

 the pioneer horticulturists, this happy change was attained, and, 

 though their efforts in cultivating suitable hedge stock for fencing 

 the almost limitless open prairies, the settlement of these prairies 

 was made possible, and not only that, but the adornment of those 

 prairie homes was made complete, in shady comfort, by quick grow- 

 ing trees, to cool the surrounding grounds in the summer's sultry 

 days, and every variety of evergreens to add beauty by their dark- 

 green foliage, and to afford generous wind-breaks to winter's cold 

 blasts. The horticulturists did all this in developing the comforts 

 and beauties of our early Illinois homes, and '" grew not weary in 

 well doing," bat found new fields for usefulness continually opening; 

 selecting the most suitable and best adapted fruit varieties, devising 

 the best plan for cultivation, combating ail the drawbacks of early 

 decaying orchards, whether from the rapid growth, unduly stimu- 

 lated by our rich Illinois soil, or from the vexing invasions of ravag- 

 ing insects or vermin. 



Not only has it come within the province of your researches to 

 study the chemistry of the soil, the life and characteristics of the 

 various insects and vermin foes, but the comparative good qualities 

 of the feathery tribes that lend their aid to the toiler man in destroy- 

 ing the various insects that ravage his industries, and add vexation 

 to his inherited curse. '" In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat 

 bread." 



The labors of the Horticultural Society have not been confined 

 to the the development and direction of forest, fruit and garden 

 culture, nor to the adornment of homes, with the rarest and most 

 pleasing plants and flowers: and I think the older members of your 

 honored Society will sustain me in giving to it the honor of found- 

 incr that kindred Society, that has done so much toward placing the 

 State of Illinois in the "front rank of the agricultural States of our 

 country, ''The Agricultural Society of the State of Illinois." Some 

 of your members have been and are now in the advance in intro- 

 ducing and propagating the best breeds of farm stock, and share 

 largely in the honor of placing the product of Illinois first among 

 that of the stock raising States of our land. In this, and in all 



