74 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



roads must be made, mills erected, houses builded, meat produced and 

 bread provided before much attention can be given to the quality of a 

 radish or the blush of an apple. Lord Bacon said with truth, that men 

 come to build stately sooner than to garden finely, as if gardening were the 

 higher perfection. 



But without trespassing upon the domain of Agriculture, it is one of 

 the missions of this Society to contribute tow^ards the proper food-supply 

 of our multiplying population. Our farmers need to have, for the welfare 

 of their own homes and the others for which they provide, the gospel of 

 good gardening continually preached to them. Ask the housekeepers of 

 our State whether or not there is room for improvement here ; and, 

 especially ask the housekeepers whose right it is above all others to have 

 the best products of richly-cultivated soil for their tables, the farmers' 

 wives, whether or not they have their merited aid and sympathy with 

 regard to the kitchen and dining-room supply. The rough pioneer work 

 has with us been mostly accomplished, and all honor to the brave men 

 and sacrificing women who have done it, that we, their sons and 

 daughters, may live with less of hardship to endure and under better 

 conditions for improvement. But, under the altered circumstances of 

 living, it is not enough that our tables are supplied with bread and meat. 

 The rough rations of a soldier are appropriate in their place, but in the 

 refinement of homes our physical well-being — and if so all other kinds 

 of well-being — requires a due proportion of easily-digestible, fresh and 

 crisp garden vegetables with appetizing and health-giving fruits. Even 

 the pretty tinting of the surface and much more the improved flavor of 

 fruits have their real value in alimentation as well as art, and are worth 

 laborious efforts to secure. Horticulture has much to do with hygiene, 

 and neither agriculture nor any other culture can afford to ignore or 

 belittle its importance in this respect. 



Again, with the increase in population the processes and methods of 

 horticulture must be more and more extended, that the supply in amount 

 of wholesome food may be proportioned to the requirements. Thus are 

 the teachings, by precept and example, of this Society to be more and 

 more in demand and the mission of the Society to be more and more 

 enlarged and exalted. To produce the best fruits and food vegetables 

 with the least outlay of labor and money is not a thing of chance. They 

 do not, like Topsy, come into existence without parentage and the foster- 

 ing care of patient and skillful hands. There is required an intimate, 

 working-acquaintance with science, and a masterly knowledge of high 

 art on the part of those who would best succeed. Especially is this true 

 with the teachers of this branch of learned industry, and these latter are 

 to be found nowhere in Illinois if not within the membership of this 

 Society. Captain Cuttle said of his famous watch, " There, Wal'er, take 

 her for my sake; set her for'ard half an hour every morning and a quarter 

 every afternoon, and she'll do you credit." But there must be no guess- 

 work here. Mistakes have and doubtless will be made often enough in 

 spite of heroic and persevering efforts to the contrary. Unscrupulous 

 adventurers will foist their worthless wares upon a too credulous populace, 



