206 STATE MORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



may leavn many lessons of usefulness. If 'A\c jtnpils <are advanced far enough 

 tlicv ni;iy be taught to plant in botanical classes, but if not, let them plant in 

 any way that may please their fancy for the time. Let tiiem feel that this 

 work is theirs, and let Iheni take an honest pride in it, and wlieu any of their 

 little school fellows come over to pay them an afternoon's visit, you may be 

 sure you will always know where to find them. I know a little girl among my 

 acquaintances, only eight years old, who lias a fine collection of this sort of 

 Avild plants and shrubs in her wild garden, and I can assure you that that 

 little gill is growing up in beauty and fine knowledge every day. By the 

 help of her kind and attentive mother she has learned much about plants, 

 about their names, their beauties, etc. How many of nature's treasures we 

 have growing all over the surface of our beautiful country that if gathered up 

 and cared for by a generous culture might eclipse even the splendors of exotic 

 importations. Teach the children to gather and care for them. This is the 

 kind of cultured material with which we want to build up and ennoble our 

 country, and educate our future men and women, who shall be a blessing to 

 the iState, and an honor to the world. " Where much is given, much will be 

 required." 



A TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT 



Called out jMr. LcValley, of Ionia, who said: 



This subject is not only fruitful, but very appropriate to the occasion. 

 There arc many varieties of trees both useful and ornamental; all were 

 created for use, for the good of mankind. The first account wc have of trees 

 is in Genesis: "The Loi'd caused to grow front the ground every tree tiiat is 

 good for food and pleasant to the sight." 



This is our first gliinpse of horticulture, and this example has been followed 

 all the way down to the present, more or less, as we have improved our oppor- 

 tunities. In the early settlement of Michigan, the pioneer found many trees 

 that he was obliged to cut and burn; many of them bore valuable fruit, such 

 as the oak, bead), walnut, chestnut, etc.; all, in fact, had a purpose, and all 

 bore some fruit, but the principal crop then was ashes. But soon trees were 

 planted in their stead tiuit produced more valuable fruit; more in accordance 

 with the oiiginal design, whicii looked for good only, from everything created. 

 Hence the apple, pear, peach, plum, cherry, grape, and an almost endless 

 list of small fruits, and in carrying out this design it will be no great stretch 

 of imagination to include flowers. Although not trees proper, still they have 

 enougli of tree properties to answer their purpose; they also bear fruit suffi- 

 cient for all to know them by their fruit. A wise man said, " He who plants 

 a tree confers a benefit on his country." Tlie miserly man plants trees that 

 bear fruit that can be measured and sold for money. His wiser neighbor plants 

 more; he plants the trees for profit, and also plants the trees that arc pleasant 

 to the sight. AVitness the long rows of trees that line each side of our high- 

 ways, and still every one of these is a money tree. "When well established they 

 add to tlie selling value of the property to which they belong from two to 

 thirty dolhirs eacli ; fruit by which any common man miglit know tliem. 

 Tiio weary traveler who enjoys the shade on a summer's day knows them by 

 their fruit; even the dumb beasts, if they could talk, would tell all about the 

 fruit. Tiie tn-es tiiat are good for the eyes, planted on all public grounds, 

 especially school grounds, cause the young j)eoi)le, as well as the old, to rise 

 up and call the planters blessed. This is fruit as good as cash, and as I cau'fc 



