WINTER MEETING, 18S2. 41 



school where they can at the same time apply what they learn, in the shop or 

 on the farm in actual practice, and thus iu a measure learn their trade at school. 

 Tliis being the case, I claim that it is wise to give horticulture a place among 

 the industries practiced at such a school, and why? 



First, because the different branches of gardening are good trades in them- 

 selves, and if taught at such schools young men can be made to see it. And 

 it needs but to bring the matter to your notice for you to agree that the grad- 

 uates of such schools can but elevate the business and help make it an hon- 

 ored calling, while the business itself is likely to make its followers happy, 

 being one of the best and most satisfactory pursuits in which a man can 

 engage. 



And, secondly, it is well to encourage it in the schools because for men of 

 almost any business it is pleasant to know something of gardening, and the 

 different processes in fruit, vegetable, and flower culture, like pruning, graft- 

 ing, and budding, transplanting, combating insects and diseases, sowing seeds, 

 using manures, employing hot-beds and forcing houses, propagating, etc., etc., 

 can be very well taught to some extent in school, or at least the principles of 

 vegetable growth can be inculcated with profit to the learner and pleasure in 

 after life. For example, in the college in our own State this is done every 

 3'ear. Scores of students preparing for farming, gardening, and other pur- 

 suits take the course in horticulture. And think you not that whether or no 

 they make gardening their business they will have the love of the work and 

 some knowledge of its practice fixed in them? And it will find expression too 

 in better vegetables in their gardens, a finer lawn and shrubbery about their 

 doors, vines clambering over the walls, or flowers in the house, or fruit on the 

 table, or something to make life pleasanter, and to '^ add to the garland of the 

 useful and beautiful that encircles this excellent old earth." 



The next subject was the influence of 



ASSOCIATIONS IN EDUCATING HORTICULTURISTS. 



Mr. Lyon in announcing it remarked that we could not all go to College, and 

 many of us had not even had a very good chance in common schools, but there 

 was a means of education which he considered of the greatest importance and 

 that was associated with the topic announced. To the horticulturist this is of 

 great imjiortance because of the rapid development of his profession at the 

 hands of skilled men who become the teachers in institutes, conventions, and 

 meetings devoted to horticulture. 



Professor Tracy upon being called out said that sevei^teen years ago he had 

 been pointed to the Michigan Agricultural College as the only successful insti- 

 tution of the kind which gave any attention to horticulture, lie came from 

 Boston, the seat of learning in America. He found what he wanted here in a 

 western State and had remained in the State since leaving college. He had 

 witnessed very wonderful developments in horticulture in these years. He 

 gave an interesting narrative of the steps of progress since he first stepped into 

 the State. x\ few years after coming here, while a teacher at the college, he 

 heard of the meeting of the Michigan Pomological Society at Grand Kapids, 

 and attended it and gave the names of four others besides himself who attended 

 that first meeting of this great society. Thus it began, and to-day we find a 

 good supply of horticultural products all over the State, and a great deal of 

 this benefit came from the work of this society since that meeting. The Pro- 

 fessor related many very interesting reminiscences that have occurred since 



