•i2 Av\ericun Horticultural Society. 



being a half lioliday, it is only in the morning thai the institution can he seen in 

 "jperation on that day. Hoping tiiat to see the turn taken hy the higher education 

 on its extreme western outpost may prove a matter of interest to many among you, 

 I remain sincerely yours, E. \V. Hilgahu. 



Mr. Iliibbartl, of New York, frotu the Coininitteo on Order of 

 Biisine.ss, roj)orte(l, reconiniendiiig the daily meetings to be opened 

 at 9 A, M., and '1 and 7 : oO w m. ; tliat for this afternoon's session 

 Prof. Husmann's and Mr. Ohmer's papers be presented ; that each 

 sncceeding session's programtne be reported at tlie preceding meet- 

 ing, which report was concurred in, after which the Society ad- 

 journed to meet at 2 p. m. 



First Day — Tuesday. 



Afternoon Session, January 24 

 At 2 P. M. the Society reassembled in the Baptist 'ral)ernacle, 

 President Earlc in the chair. 



[Note.— As a iiiivttLT of convenience in publishing this volinne the Secretary ventures to 

 change tlie order of arrangement of papers, preferring to publish the President's address here. 



[Seckktary ] 



PRESIDENT EARLE'S ADDRESS. 



It was nearly fifty years ago that I had my first dream of an horticultural 

 paradise as I read in the good old Bible story the report of that exploring 

 committee which Moses sent out to search the land of Canaan, and spy out 

 its resources, and " to bring back the fruit of the land." Now, Moses being 

 the wisest of his race, and the greatest leader of men, did not ask his com- 

 mittee to bring back samples of the grain, the merino wool, the short st^ijile 

 cotton, or the best breeds of live stock, short-horns or Jerseys, but 8imi)Iy 

 to bring back the fruit oj the land. For Moses seemed to know that the coun- 

 try which could grow the best fruits was the very best country for the chosen 

 people of the Lord to emigrate to. And when this first horticultural depu- 

 tation returned laden with the figs, the pomegranates, and the great cluster 

 of grapes from the banks of the brook of Eschol, that the two men bore on 

 a stafT between them— and I know that the cluster of grapes reached from 

 the stiitron the men's shoulders nearly to the ground, for my mother's great 

 Bible pictured it that way — then Moses and Aaron and Caleb and the few wise 

 men of Israel wanted to go up and possess the land, notwithstanding the sons 

 of Anak dwelt there and the other tribes of great stature. But the mass of 

 the people of Israel were ignorant, and did not appreciate this horticultural 

 exhibition, and the promise of the better life that was possible in a fruit- 



