SOCIETY OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. 269 



of good material to make an interesting and successful society. You 

 have Prof. Burrill, Prof. Morrow and other members of the University. 

 You also have Mr. Dunlap, Dr. Hall and many other capable men, 

 and it appears to me you mi<;ht have one of the best societies in the 

 state. 



Mr. Berry — One of the members of the Warsaw society said 

 to me years ago, "I never was learning so ra})idly as now." I can 

 say of myself that I never learned so fast as during the past two or 

 three years, and have never so fully realized the importance and 

 pleasure of the work of the horticulturist and farmer. 



Mr. Periam — A remark has been made that would convey the 

 idea that local societies are not likely to be sustained by amateurs. 

 What is an amateur? A man that is in love with his business. 

 You can not show me a rural society that is not sustained by this 

 class of men. Your State Fair is kept up by them. Say theorist 

 and I will agree with you, 



A SALMAGUNDI ESSAY. 



BY THOMAS GREGG. 



I am announced for a Salmagundi essay — which may be inter- 

 preted to mean a little of everything, or a little of anything. The 

 New Version now being written, we may guess it will read somewhat 

 as follows: 



" Rough is the way that leadeth to fruit culture, and much 

 tribulation awaiteth him who walks therein. Many enemies encom- 

 pass him about. He j)lanteth and he tilleth his trees; he tenderly 

 traineth them, even as a kind father traineth his children, and he 

 hath joy in his work, the joy of anticipation. He watcheth them as 

 a shepherd watcheth the lambs of his flock when the wolves are 

 abroad. But he lieth down to sleep and the worm and the bug com- 

 eth on him unawares. The curculio pierceth his stone fruits, and 

 they wither and fall to the ground. The codling moth steals among 

 his apples and pears as a thief in the night, and corruption over- 

 taketh them. The canker-worm suspends itself among the branches 

 and the green leaves thereon become seared as with a consuming 

 fire, or as though a simoon of the desert had passed over them. And 

 by day and by night, in the rising and the going down of the sun, 

 on wing or noiseless feet, or creeping and crawling, pests come to 

 consume and devour his substance. And afterward, as the year 

 waneth, when he and his servants go out to gather, lo and behold, 

 he findeth nothing. He sendeth out messengers and calleth his 



