182 TRANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTURAL 



sumniate what was there begun by the appointment of a j^roper com- 

 mittee as there suggested. This subject of forestry is one of those 

 topics that cannot be ignored. It woukl not be right if we could. 

 The efforts we have put forth in this direction have not been in vain. 

 Work of great value has already been accomplished. Some of our 

 States have done much. Our general government has made a move. 

 Their face is now in the right direction, and they are looking. It is 

 for just such societies as this here convened to give the necessary aid 

 that shall help them to see. And I do not think we can carry out 

 this work in any other way so efficiently as to consummate the spirit 

 of those resolutions we then adopted. While the iron is hot is the 

 time to lay on the blows vigorously. A work of such gigantic pro- 

 portions as this ret[uires strong, energetic, persistent, and continuous 

 labor; and even then we may expect to hand down much of it to our 

 children and children's children. Russia^ for more than two hun- 

 dred years, has been giving us a noble example. Other countries 

 have given us lessons of perhaps equal value. A good soldier arms 

 himself with every weapon that can accomplish his purpose. With 

 these facts and data already at hand, collated and prepared as sug- 

 gested by the resolutions, we have done what we could to urge at 

 least another step forward. Our states and government must even- 

 tually furnish the sinews of war for the accomplishment of this 

 work; and I think principally our government, made up, as we know, 

 of men, many of them much more the politician than the legislator. 

 This we may deplore but cannot remedy. They will not take the 

 time to inform themselves of the great national importance of this 

 subject. Their thoughts are in other directions. Is it not the part 

 of wisdom that those who have at heart these great national inter- 

 ests, and see and feel their significance, shall think for them ? And 

 not only think, but press those thoughts wherever and whenever 

 good may be accomplished. And let us not falter that we do not 

 accomplish everything in a day. It is enough for us that we have 

 done well our duty. Our fathers, by seven years of struggle and toil 

 (trusting in Providence and keeping their powder dry), gave to uh 

 the noble heritage we now possess and enjoy. Cannot we do some- 

 thing towards clothing this land (which God's Providence has given 

 us) in a mantle of living green, that shall cause our children to rise 

 up and call us blessed? 



The very topography of our State, extending as it does through 

 so many degrees of latitude, with its varied climatic conditions and 

 its large variety of products, must always render it of unusual inter- 

 est to all lovers of horticulture. This very fact should make our 

 reports far more interesting than they could otherwise be, and calls 

 for an unusual amount of labor to accomplish the same. 



And I desire here to call your attention to some of the doings of 

 the State Board of Horticulture at its annual session just passed. 

 For the first time in its history it has made an appropriation of one 



