WINTER MEETING. Ill 



Many other papers were worthy of special mention, the annual 

 Teport of the Secretary in particular, a very carefully prepared report, 

 and evidently the production of one of the most earnest and zealous 

 officers known to current horticultural industry; but, as we have said, 

 these will all be published and the readers will have an opportunity of 

 judging for themselves. 



PRESENTATION TO MR. GOODMAN. 



Probably one of the most interesting events in the history of the 

 Society, and one of the most pleasing, was the presentation of a solid 

 silver tea service to Secretary Goodman on Wednesday evening, which 

 was a great surprise to all present except the few members and friends 

 who were parties to the effort, and to Mr. Goodman in particular. Just 

 as the Chairman was about to open the evening session Mr. A. Nelson, 

 Treasurer of the Society, stepped to the front and asked permission 

 to occupy the attention of the Society for a few moments with a mat- 

 ter not on the program. He then read the following address : 



Mr. Goodman : We meet tonight In this beautiful hall, In this enterprising Inland 

 city of Trenton, under most favorable auspices, surrounded by fruits and flowers and hosts 

 of friends , yours and ours ; but you are still more fortunate In that many of the "Old 

 Guard, ' ' who have labored so long and so earnestly with you, In both adversity and pros- 

 perity, are with us tonight, their ranks unbroken, and each, as ever, ready to respond to 

 the call of duty . This is peculiarly gratifying to me tonight, because of what I am about 

 to say and do. We know you as a man of few words, active in every good word and work, 

 of untiring Industry in the discharge of your duties, and Inspired with a zeal that knows no 

 such word as fall, because your whole soul and mind and will are thrown into the service 

 where duty calls. 



Every prominent horticulturist In our State, in the United States, and many in for- 

 eign countries, know of your zeal, your untiring energy and your unbounded enterprise In 

 this, your chosen fleldof labor; and in discharging the very pleasant duty delegated to me 

 by your friends and admirers, I would tell you how highly they esteem your work, and how 

 long they hffve watched the patient, earnest way In which you have discharged your duties 

 as Secretary of the Missouri State Horticultural Society; but language fails me in the effort 

 to do you justice. 



We have seen the work done by you at Xew Orleans, at the World's fair, at the two St. 

 Louis expositions and many other places where the eyes of the world were upon you, and 

 through you this grand State of Missouri, Just blossoming into the full vigor of developed 

 energy as not only the leading fruit state, but leads In all points any state in the Union; we 

 have met you twice a year at these state meetings, have read your letters to the press, and 

 your excellent annual reports for lol these many years, and are fullj^ conversant with the 

 unstinted loyalty, the whole-hearted enthusiasm, with which you have discharged your 

 duties, and vastly more than duty called for. 



And now, Mr. Secretary, that you may know that we appreciate all this at its true 

 value, a few of your friends desire to tell you so here and now, in open meeting, and 

 before the world, that whilst yet>ln the prime of your manhood you may realize how 

 warmly we esteem you, how greatly we admire you and how much we thank you for your 

 great work, a work of faith and a labor of love. To further emphasize the esteem in which 

 we hold you, I have the honor to present you with this beautiful service of silver, not by 

 any means as value received, but simply as a token of our affection for you and our appre- 

 ciation of your services. It is our most earnest hope that you may long live to enjoy, in 

 unstinted measure, and without friction or alloy, the purest and choicest of earth's bless- 

 ings; and that when in the fullness of years you are gathered to your fathers. It may be 

 j^ours through eternity to pluck of the fruit of the tree of life in the city of God. 



