THE ANNUAL MEETING. 139 



Soon after 4 o'clock President Lyon called the meeting to order again in the 

 court-house, and the question, 



SHALL TKEE AGENTS BE ENCOURAGED? 



was called up. A short paper from the pen of E. M. Potter, of Kalamazoo, 

 was read by the Secretary to open the discussion, the full text of which is here 

 given : 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: — I am fully aware that this is 

 a very delicate subject for discussion, and one that calls in question the occu- 

 pation of a very sensitive class of individuals. I am also of the opinion that 

 if this question was submitted to the community at large, the negative response 

 would be as overwhelming as the "Garfield" vote. 



In the fore part of June, 1858, there sat in an office of one of the eastern 

 nurseries, a young man, brought up on a farm, receiving his outfit and in- 

 structions previous to his first attempt at canvassing. 



In answer to his inquiry as to where he had better go, the senior partner of 

 the firm told him to select his own territory. In answer to his question, "How 

 had I better approach a man so as to secure his order," the junior partner of 

 the concern told him to provide himself with "a box of tobacco as big as his two 

 hands, and on the first approach to a stranger who looked as if he used the 

 weed, offer it to him." This last piece of advice, I am happy to say, he never 

 followed ; but in accordance with the senior's instruction, this unsophisticated 

 young man procured a pocket map of Pennsylvania. He had heard of the 

 great thrift of the farmers and their huge barns in the Keystone State, and he 

 had very naturally concluded that any one possessed of even a few acres, and 

 making any pretensions to thrift, would not rest satisfied until his home was 

 amply supplied with all the leading varieties of fruit suited to the climate, and 

 I may say that I have good reason for believing that "he is of the same opin- 

 ion still." A few hours later and this young man was hurried down through 

 the Genesee and Oohocton valleys at railroad speed, and after a couple of 

 changes he arrived at a small village near the banks of the Susquehanna. 

 Being weighed down with a realizing sense of great responsibility, rendered 

 doubly so by a sanguine feeling of wonderful success, the "sombre shades of 

 night" gave but little rest to our " newly- Hedged" tree-agent. Little did the 

 good people of that community dream of the "golden opportunity " soon to 

 present itself, or the sure road to wealth which would come close to their doors 

 if they would only "take stock" in the enterprise. The morrow dawned, and 

 after breakfast our young man, with all the encouragement which could be 

 heaped upon him by a worthy landlord, whose hospitality could only be meas- 

 ured by the contents of his guest's pocket-book, started out. This young 

 man, who had but just left his rural home, with the blessing of a Christian 

 father, and followed by the prayers of a devoted mother ; this young man, 

 who had been brought up never to tell a falsehood or steal a lump out of the 

 sugar-bowl ; this young man, who, if I do say it, was honest, and had entered 

 conscientiously upon this new and, as he supposed, perfectly honorable occu- 

 pation — approached the residence of what appeared to be the home of a well- 

 to-do farmer; and what kind of a reception do you think he got? It was 

 something like this : 



"Veil! now, young man ! I vants none of your humbugs at all. Shust a 

 few years ago some Yankee fellers, he cums round drafting, and I lets 'em 

 draft my orchard, and dey shust cuts dem sticks righut off one tree and puts 



