statp: horticultural society. 99 



THIKD DAY — Morning. 



Called to order proiiiptly on time by President Galii.sha. 



After prayer by Mr. Samuel Edwards, Dr. Humphrey asked per- 

 mission to read his paper, saying that it was necessary for him to go 

 home this afternoon. Permission being given. Dr. A. G. Humphrey, 

 of Galesburg, of the Committee on Climatic Conditions, Soils and 

 Fertilizers, proceeded to read 



SOILS, FERTILIZERS AND CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. 



In the most profitable i)r()iliietious of vegetable forms three 

 conditions are essential, viz: perfectly matured seed, bud or cion, a 

 soil rich in the elements necessary to the production of the form re- 

 quired, and desirable cliuiatic conditions. K' any one of these essen- 

 tials is wanting a failure of crops is sure to follow. Most agricul- 

 tural products are grown from seed, while many of the horticultural 

 products are groAvn from root, bud, or cion. Perfect development 

 and early uiaturity is especially necessary to profitable production. 

 In our own state hundreds uf acres of corn were lost last season by 

 being planted from southwestern seed, which required a long season 

 to mature. Such a mistake is not likely to occur again. It is true 

 that last season was es])ecially adverse to the productiou of corn; the 

 spring and early snuimer was cold and wet; the last of summer was 

 very dry, being followed by early killing frosts. 



SUMMARY OF ESSENTIAL CONDITIONS. 



AVith the best conditions of soil and climate, early aud perfectly 

 matured seeds will produce a crop correspondiugly early. The suc- 

 cess of the agriculturist dejjcnds largely upon his carei^ul and judi- 

 cious election of seed, aud the same is true of the horticulturist in 

 his selection of the stock from which to propagate his plants. The 

 range of adaptation to widely different conditions in the production 

 of animal foruis is large and varied, while in the production of veg- 

 etable forms the range of a(l;i|)tation to directly adverse conditions 

 is exceedingly circuniscril)ed and luirrow. Hence the necessity of 

 learning and obeying the nature of things. 



SOILS. 



Plants take a large ])art of their nourishuient from the earth, 

 and their productiveness depends largely on the soil in which they 

 are grown. Soils are principally composed of vegetable matter in a 

 state of decay with clay, sand, and carbonate of lime. The vegetable 



