120 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ninety miles of roadAvay from Tokio, the capital, to Nicko, the site of 

 the most sacred shrines of all Japan. It is said that in the building of 

 this road contributions were exacted from the feudal lords of that day. 

 One, poorer than the rest, having more retainers than money, begged 

 to be allowed to plant the highway as his contribution to the work. 

 The ancient road bed itself is worn and each year needs repair. Not 

 so, however, with that mighty avenue of pine standing like giant 

 sentinels massed on either side, their lofty heads reared far above the 

 winding roadway at their feet, their gnarled roots interlocking, their 

 branches intertAvined, every succeeding decade they are more impressive 

 that the last. What a magnificient memorial. The services that seem- 

 ed the least is now the crowning feature of it all. 



Few of us can plant a road to Nicko, but we can do our part and so a 

 few short years ago I planted about a mile of road front on my farm 

 of elms, thinking that even though I might not l)e here to enjoy their 

 mature beauty of form and grace of outline, others, passing beneath 

 their shade in after years, would note the sweep of their great branches 

 and carry away a memory of their majestic strength and beauty that 

 would abide. 



And so to-night, Mr. Chairman, I enter this modest appeal for the 

 Country Road Beautiful. 



Toastmaster: There is a grandeur in the forest, in the landscape from 

 some lofty mountain, and there is a picturesq'ueness in a field of wav- 

 ing grain. Mr. Robert J. Coryell, of Oakland, will speak on this phase 

 of the subject as relates to our country homes. 



Mr. Coryell: We have heard much about the cultivation of the 

 orchard, packages for shipping away the fruit, and marketing of it. 

 But we have not heard very much about the farmer's home. How few 

 country homes have surrounded them with any degree of sentiment. 

 The house is built, and the family moves in, and there the matter stops. 

 There is nothing done to beautify the home — nothing to make it a spot 

 of beauty — there are no trees or shrubs to uuike it attractive. Many a 

 boy and girl have left their country home because of this neglect — 

 they go to the city and see homes surrounded with flowers, shrubbery 

 and trees — the sight appeals to them. Then they go back home and 

 the surroundings there are cheerless and unattractive. Is it any wonder 

 that they become dissatisfied and leave the farm? 



• So I say, give attention to the beautifying of your homes. It may not 

 be expensive; it need not take very much time. But when you do it, 

 plan with your wife and children as to what and how it shall be done. 

 Let them enter into it. Have an eye on the future. Make it such a 

 place that when the children have grown up and left the parental 

 roof, they will look back on their childhood days and cherish pleasant 

 memories that will be a joy and satisfaction. Then when they return 

 to visit the old homestead, at every turn they will see that which will 

 remind them of days agone, in which they themselves, had a part in 

 making i)ermanenf. And not only for the future, but it helps to make 

 life worth the living for the present. So, let us give to the beautifying 

 of our homes the best that we can and then life on the farm will be what 

 it should be. 



