26 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



relation to agriculture as poetry stands to prose, working upon 

 and developing all the finer and tenderer emotions of the human 

 heart, for few persons can work any great length of time among 

 fruits and flowers,without catching something of their beauty, and. 

 having in some way their manners improved ; their tastes refined ; 

 their intellects elevated, and their social character benefited. 



The president of your society, appreciating the value of a 

 society of this kind, was chiefly instrumental in organizing what 

 is called the Brown County Horticultural and Agricultural 

 Society, which has now been in existence about four years, and 

 has been of marked benefit to the people of the whole county. 

 Last year, when your president intimated that the state society 

 might hold its annual summer convention here, we cordially ex- 

 tended the invitation. You came ; the convention was held : and 

 the large amount of information we then received from the manv 

 valuable papers read, and the memory of the many pleasant 

 acquaintances made upon that occasion have lingered with us till 

 now, and when your society proposed to appropriate a sufficient 

 sum to enable several conventions to be held instead of one, we 

 made haste to secure one here; and I can assure you that it affords 

 us great pleasure in meeting so many of you again ; and in behalf 

 of the Brown County Horticultural and Agricultural Society I 

 welcome you to Green Bay, and ask your co-operation in this 

 noble work, trusting that the present interview will be as enjoy- 

 able as that of last year ; that you will carry with you to your 

 homes pleasant memories of this visit. 



Mr. Stickney, in his response, spoke briefly of the interest felt 

 by the State Society in the welfare and prosperity of the local 

 societies, and its desire to join heart and hand with them in pro- 

 moting the interests of horticulture throughout the state ; con- 

 gratulated the Brown County Society on its thriving condition and 

 on the good influence it was exerting, both at home and abroad, 

 and returned thanks in behalf of the State Society and himself 

 for the hearty welcome received. 



Besetting old Orchards. — Owing to the absence of a num- 

 ber of those who were expected to read papers, the regular pro- 



