SOCIETY OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. 291 



in any doorway, or the yards of the most humble homes, but can 

 be seen the resultant labors of past and present horticultural 

 workers. Wherever blooms a flower; wherever grows a tree, or 

 shrub, or vine, there is the handiwork of some good disciple of 

 "the art that does mend nature." His works go to the palace 

 of the millionaire, and to the humble home of the poor. The 

 bountiful fruits his persevering skill has nurtured into perfection 

 impart the same richness to all; his flowers smell as sweet to the 

 poor, and bloom as beautifully as for the rich. 



Horticulture has its advocates and champions all over the 

 world ; it leaves its good mark wherever it goes, and it goes 

 everywhere. Civilization and horticulture go hand in hand. 

 The savage nations have no other horticulture save that which 

 nature first bestowed upon them. This was the case with 

 America, and especially so in Illinois. The first settlers found no 

 fruits worthy the name. They were taxed to all their ingenuity 

 to get them started, and even then it was slow and unsatisfying 

 work, because they were so much in the dark. They had not 

 the methods nor knowledge we possess to-day. Their growing 

 intellect taught them to believe that vast possibilities lay hidden 

 in the future, but how to get at them was the all perplexing ques- 

 tion. It was this great ambition to unlock the secrets so strong- 

 ly guarded by nature that perhaps gave rise to the science of 

 horticulture. This desire gave an impetus to experiments by 

 planting seeds, and trial after trial, until finally a surer ground 

 was reached, and budding, grafting, layering, cross breeding, 

 hybridizing, and every other expedient that could be thought of 

 was put into execution. The mind of man is far reaching. It is 

 not possible to subdue the ambition of a thorough horticultural 

 student, for we are all students in nature's school. No man is 

 higher than another, except he gets there by the hardest study 

 and application. 



It is only a few years ago, comparatively speaking, when it 

 was the solemn declaration of people hereabouts, who no doubt 

 were sincere in saying so, that these prairies could not raise 

 fruits. Mr. F. K. Phoenix, the founder of the greatest nursery 

 in the world, and he built it up right here in this section, came 

 down in withering scorn on these laconic grumblers, and resent- 

 ed the accusation as a slander on the fairest land that God ever 

 made. Mr. Phoenix was right. The prairies can grow fruit, and 

 they are doing it right along, with splendid success, year after 

 year. 



Above all, if horticulture is a failure, from whence comes this 

 enthusiastic Central Society, to say nothing of that grand old 

 paterfamilias — the Illinois State Horticultural Society? Then 

 look at the local and county organizations all over this beauti- 

 ful prairie state— the prairies which could not grow fruits. 

 This does not look like a failure; not by any means. We are 



