VALLEY HORTICULTURAL SorlETY. "297 



thin^; known to possess beiiuty <>r fragiinu-e. as well as all fruits that 

 are tlelicious. may seem to ])e treating of that whiih is far heyund 

 the attainments of mankind in general, is it not ])ossi])le for ns of 

 humbler station to have some of tb»* real enjoyment in kind, if not 

 in (|uantity. of which he speaks? 



\\ hat is more elevating than tiic communion one has with na- 

 ture as he watches the progress of some phint from its germination 

 from a small seed till finally there is a budding, then the opening of 

 the flower and the exhalation of the most fragrant perfume? What 

 a source of education there is iii the planting and cultivating of fruit 

 trees, till one becomes familiar with all their waiit^ and character- 

 istics, as well as versed in the knowledge of the various varieties to 

 suidi extent as to be able to say ( the soil of any locality being known ) 

 what kind must be planted to ensure u l)ountiful harvest. 



As the advancement of the civilization of nations is seen to 

 keep pace with their progress in horticulture, so are those cities and 

 communities best and most refined where the taste for the l^^autiful 

 is cultivated to the greatest extent. I say this with all the more 

 pleasure because T believe there are few counties where there is a 

 more general cultivation in this regard than than there is in this. 

 Every home is made truly homelike by plants and flowers. Perhaps 

 I am partial, but it seems to me that this has exerted ;i very a])pre- 

 ciable influence upon the young [)eople of this city. 



It has already been stated that very great ])rogress has been 

 made in the past century, and indeed the advancement in the past 

 forty years has been very satisfactory in the United States. The 

 Massachusetts and Pennsylvania societies have led the work, and at 

 present Illinois and other States are well to the front. 



Hut as Dudley W arnei- was fully convinced at the close of his 

 summer spent in the garden, that everything in it had its enemy, un- 

 less it might be the ])usley, so too the horticulturalist finds that 

 everything he would bring to perfection has its besetting evil. Even 

 the strawl)ei-ry. of which it has been said. " (lod doubtless might have 

 made a better berry than the strawberry, but doubtless he never did." 

 That berry which we are met here to ])ractically discuss to-day. The 

 berry ( which our merchants bring to us in the spring from the south, 

 and follow as its season of ripening goes northward, till nu)nths later 

 we are receiving it from as far to the north of us as at first it was 

 obtained from the south ) has its enemies. 



Kvery i)roducer of strawberries recognizes the fact, that as boun- 

 tiful and delicious as this crop is when successful, it is only made so 

 as the result of careful stiidy and watchfulness. The exce.ssive cold 

 of winter, the tendencies (tf the plant to jiroduce too soon, and to 

 niultij)ly itself by shooting forth the troublesome runners, the Lach- 

 nosterna, and many other enemies have to be guarded against. Then 

 the selection of varieties has to receive attention. Those which are 

 excellent this vear nmv be worthless in a vear or two. Then, the 



