180 TRANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTURAL 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



Ladies and Gentlemen of tJie 



HorticHltural Societij of Northern Illinois: 



We have again come together for the purpose of holding the 

 seventeenth annual meeting of this Society. During the past year, 

 while some of our fruits have proved a failure, or partial failure, ac- 

 cording to locality, yet on the whole I think the season has blessed 

 us with the usual plenty of the good things of life. But let us re- 

 member, while we are so thankful for the achievements of our suc- 

 cessful efforts, which always bring us present pleasures, that our 

 failures are often the most profitable if they impel us to fathom the 

 why and the wherefore of the difficulty, and thereby point out the 

 way to more successful efforts for ourselves and others in the future. 

 And let us also not forget that while we are here as pupils and stu- 

 dents, seeking and trying to comprehend as far as possible the occult 

 forces of nature by which Mother Earth so generously supplies all 

 our wants, we are yet more than that — we are teachers. And while 

 there are many mysteries yet unexplained, and many problems yet to 

 be solved, I feel proud to say, what most of you know, that we have 

 in the sixteen years of this Society's existence mastered many import- 

 ant truths in horticulture, and solved many knotty problems which 

 have been sent out to the world through our published proceedings 

 and the press, which has disseminated largely our doings, ever treat- 

 ing us very generously indeed. From what we have already accom- 

 plished by our past labors let us hope there is yet much in store for 

 us. Wherever we look grand achievements have been accomplished 

 in every department of life, and with the indomitable energy and 

 perseverance of the Anglo Saxon blood, ever ready to say " I will 

 try," let us not doubt that our future labors shall accomplish even 

 more than the past. 



During the years of the existence of our Society many of our 

 members have dropped out by the way, but we have kept steadily on. 

 During the past year two brothers, very near and very dear to us, 

 have passed on to the beyond. Appropriate committees have already 

 been appointed, and in due time an expression of this Society will be 

 given. Without trenching upon their duties, I feel it not inappro- 

 priate that I. as your presiding officer, should also say something on 

 this occasion; and it affords me no ordinary pleasure that I can say 

 to you it will be principally congratulatory. These friends, while 

 yet with us, had made many mile-posts beyond the allotted time of 

 three score years and ten. I feel that we can all say of them they 

 had fought a good fight, had nol)ly fulfilled their mission, and have 

 left us full of years and full of honors — landmarks long to be re- 

 membered with pleasure and profit by us all. As to Father Bryant, 

 many of you knew him long and intimately, while to me it was but 

 a limited acquaintance; and yet at our first meeting I saw him as 



