The Ideal and the Real ix Horticulture. 221 



Mr. Philips bad been very much pleased with the papers ; he 

 thought they grew better from year to year. They were not only 

 interesting and instructive, but were of great value, and we would 

 all do well to carry home the truths here expressed, and practice 

 them ; it would tend not on^ to make ourselves and families 

 more happy, but would add to our usefulness and prosperity in 

 many ways. He had of late years attended similar conventions 

 held in other states, but had not heard a paper read by a lady, or 

 seen a lady present at any meeting except our own. He could 

 heartily indorse all that has been said in commendation of the 

 papers, and was sure that all would join in thanking the ladies 

 for the kind interest they had taken in our work, and for the aid 

 they had given us. He for one would like to have these papers 

 distributed through the session so as to secure the attendance of 

 the ladies at all of our meetings, but was very glad to have them 

 even here. 



Senator Arnold moved that the thanks of the convention be 

 given to the ladies for the interesting papers they had presented 

 to us. Carried. 



On motion of Mr. Kellogg, they were also made honorary an- 

 nual members of the State Horticultural Society. 



THE IDEAL AND THE REAL IN HORTICULTURE. 



By B. F. Adams, Madison. 



A garden is supposed to be a beautiful place where grow the 

 choicest flowers, vegetables and fruits, laid out with regularity 

 and cultivated with the greatest care and skill. Poets, when they 

 view such a spot, feel inspired ; the lovers of the beautiful in 

 nature and art go into ecstasies over the scene, and express a de- 

 sire to possess such a charming place. The more studious and 

 thoughtful man of business or professional expert, speculates on 

 such sordid matters as cost, and makes an estimate of the extent 

 to which clean cultivation may be profitably carried. He is the 

 man who, though susceptible to the poetry of a garden, is also 

 imbued with that of practical matters, and when he visits an 

 acquaintance who has cultivated a garden for ten years or more, 



