200 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



anl tlie beauties of the lamlscape brought out. And each homo shall be "a 

 thing of beauty and a joy forever." 



R. Haigh, Jr. 

 Graud Haven, Dec. 4th, 18S2. 



President Lyon : We see people making grevious blunders in the planting of 

 their places, and it seems to mo that our society can do very little work that 

 will be more telling tlian by bringing out some good points concerning the 

 proper tnetliods of tastefully arranging trees, shrubs, plants, and flowers, 

 about our smaller homes, 



Mr. Crozier: Children become greatly attached to trees, and trees become 

 almost a part of a family — it hurts to have a pet tree cut down. I think it a 

 capital plan to liave tiic different members of a household identified with the 

 planting of trees about the house. It creates assooiatioirs that are lasting 

 upon the memory, and the influence of these early memories lasts until old 

 age creeps on. 



Mr. Lyon : A great deal of taste may be shown in the growing of ornamen- 

 tal screens, and while developing a thing of beauty in growing a hedge or 

 screen, one is not working for appearances only, for in screens there may be & 

 large measure of utility. 



Secretary Garfield : The inquiries that come to my office by mail are very 

 largely poniological ; but when away from home pursuing the work of the 

 society over the State, a very large proportion of the questions that are put to 

 me are concerned with landscape gardening; especially do people want to 

 know about trees, shrubs, plants, and flowers, for certain purposes. I am 

 satisfied tl)at our local societies will find more to do for Michigan homes in 

 this department than in any other. The questions arising in this field have 

 more to do with all the members of families than those pertaining to any 

 other branch of horticulture. If we ever expect to interest our young people 

 in the work we ai'c pushing, as a society, it must be by giving especial atten- 

 tion to ornamental horticulture. There is really very little practical knowl- 

 edge of landscape gardening practiced by people who build homes ; still, if 

 more attention were given to the principles upon whicli good taste is based, 

 there would be a great deal more satisfaction in the work of beautifying home 

 premises. I still contend that the work of educating good taste iu these 

 matters is a legitimate part of the work of our schools, and if made a part of 

 the curriculum of our common schools, would be a step in progress that would 

 have a far reaching influence. 



Mr. Aldrich : I appreciate the remarks of the secretary as to the satisfaction 

 coming frotn acquiring and employing information in the field of ornamental 

 gardening and tree planting. I have been at work a couple of years develop- 

 ing a new place upon poor soil, and have found it rather up hill work. But 

 with all my failures there has been quiet pleasure in the work — a work, as Mr. 

 Garfield says, that interests the whole family. 



Mr. Demi)sey spoke of the great work in the use of trees for screens and for 

 ornamental planting that had h.en done at Montreal on the rocks and mouu- 

 tain sides, under very great difficulties. 



Mr. Gott: One of the trees that I wish was planted more for ornament is 

 the tulip tree. I think it the grandest tree of our latitude. It is quite a 

 rai)id glower, handsome when young, and majestic in its old ago. 



Mr. Dempsey spoke of the autumn colors of some maples in his acquaint- 

 ance that were as handsome as the finest of the coleus family. 



