Horticulture vs. Ruts. 145 



In this investigation he may perchance be brought face to face with the 

 •question — so long an ogre to the grangers — what percentage of his income 

 the " middle man "' may reasonably sweat out of his produce " en passant," 

 and whether, as the electric current waits not in its passage, so produce may 

 not be made to pass from producer to consumer direct. And he may even 

 find occasion to consider whether he or the commission merchant is the bet- 

 ter judge as to the most desirable varieties of fruit to be grown for his own 

 use, and even for market purposes. 



Nor can he, even yet, drop quietly down upon the milennial couch of rose 

 leaves, till, after inuring his olfactories to the mal-odors of the political arena, 

 and acquiring a mastery of the system of ruts governmental, he shall be able 

 to impress upon the mind of the public, and, through it, upon the legislative 

 mind, the fact that, as horticulture is older than agriculture, of the practice 

 ■of which it is rather a dilution than an improvement, the most direct and 

 effective method by which to improve and elevate the latter must surely be 

 to place the leading ideas and the highest practice in horticulture in the 

 forefront, as a sublimation or intensification of the best, most productive and 

 profitable possible practice in agriculture, needing mere amplification to 

 adapt it to practice on a broader scale. 



Having studied these, and multitudes of other ruts and combinations of 

 ruts, and settled, to his own satisfaction, how far it may prove pleasant or 

 profitable to follow their guidance, and having also assured himself of the 

 probable consequences of following them too implicitly, it may be supposed 

 that this graduated student of ruts will find himself at full liberty to settle 

 quietly down to the life work of growing the best possible crops of vegeta- 

 bles, fruits and flowers, and of " paddling his own canoe," generally. Bless 

 you ! nothing of the kind ! He has become too conspicuous a mark for news- 

 paper pellets, and will not be spared from sitting with gatherings of horti- 

 culturists, while his lucubrations are being deliberately jjicked in pieces by 

 his associates ; and he will be required to employ his pen, and, i)erchance, a 

 writing machine or two, in responding to the thousand and one queries of 

 ■correspondents who may lack the facilities, the time, or, perchance, even the 

 disposition to elaborate them for themselves. In fact, he will now. pretty 

 surely, find himself settled down in the deepest of horticultural ruts, with no 

 alternative but to go straight forward, unless, perchance, he shall succeed in 

 making a qualified or partial escape by assuming the role of horticultural 

 •editor, and, in so doing, acquire the right (by courtesy) to impose a share of 

 the burden upon his friends or acquaintances. 



The President — The last topic and paper for this evening is one 

 upon forestry — a subject that ranks all others in importance to our 

 interests all over this continent. The success of our horticulture, 

 the prosperity of our agriculture, and the permanence of our civili- 

 zation even, all depend upon the wisdom with which we manage 

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