STAPH HORTICULTURAL SOCIETV. 161 



avail ourselves of the ex})('rieiu »■ of others to iiierease our kiio\vle(l'i;e 

 faster than we can 1)V individual eitort and experiment. By this 

 means we will make our meetin<i,-s more interestinji^, extend their tield 

 of usefulness, infuse more life and vitality into societies, and by the 

 transfusion of new blood into the veins of our old or<;ani/ations, ^^ive 

 them a new lease of life. 



Let us remember that the boys and «j;irls of to-day will be the 

 men and women of to-morrow, and the whole wei^j^ht and res])onsi- 

 l)ility of sustaininj^' and i-unnin,<;" our institutions, from the vast j4'(jv- 

 ernment maehinery down to the smallest horticultural society or 

 farmer's club, will rest upon their shoulders. Let us. then, show 

 them bv our actions and our teachin<i's that we realize the situation, 

 and will do our j)art toward tittinj^- and preparing them for their new 

 and responsible duties. Say to them that our institutions are not 

 going to die when we i)ass from this stage of action, neither will we 

 take them with us. but will tr.msmit them to you unimpaired and in 

 good running order. Take them as a sacred trust from our feeble 

 and shaking hands, ever striving to bear aloft the standard that we 

 have labored to u])lift. And remember, that so long as trees bud, 

 flowers bloom, and the vine yields her fruitage, there will be need of 

 association among those who are engaged in coaxing from Mother 

 Earth her choicest blessings. Then when we feel the stealthy tread 

 of age stealing \ipon us we can, without doing violence to our self- 

 respect, dignity, or pride, gracefully surrender the leading parts into 

 hands that we have trained, and retire to the peaceful quiet of home 

 life; and as we serenely repose beneath the shade of the Eden of our 

 own planting, with calmness Ixdiolding our life's sun as it nears the 

 horizon, shedding a tlood of light far over the landscape, may we be 

 able to discern in the front ranks of the world's army of laborers 

 those Avho have taken our places, striking sturdy blows at the impedi- 

 ments which im]icdt'd our ])rogress. and if they succeed in surmount- 

 ing obstacles that ballled us. let us not be envious, but rejoice at their 

 grand success, and in the language of the poet, 



"Draw the drai)ery of our coucli about us, 

 And lie down to pleasant dreams." 



In compliance with the request of the Secretary, Rev. G. W. 

 Minier kindly contributed the following interesting paper on 



PLANTING AND CONSERVATION OF FORESTS. 



Mr. Frcsir/nif diiil Members <>/' tlie Illinois Ihniiiiilfnnd Society: 



The })lanting of forest trees in Illinois, and indeed, in the United 



States, must be a voluntary effort on the part of the owners and 



proprietors of our farms. Hapjtily we have no coercive force in our 



country which can reach the personal and j)ecuniary interests of the 



11 



