STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. ]^77 



to cultivate a taste for order and beauty, than, as often seems to be the 

 rase, a taste for confusion and ugliness. 



And here let me say that the ronfused litter of brush, boards, and 

 other rubbish so often seen lying around is not only an eyesore, but a 

 positive waste of material that might much better be made useful. It 

 may seem to be hard for one accustomed to the old order, or rather dis- 

 order of things. " to have a place for every thing and every thing in its 

 place," still in a short time he will find himself amply repaid for his 

 trouble. 



I have not spoken in glowing language of the grand, the beauti- 

 ful, and the picturesque, as seen in the highest forms of landscape gar- 

 dening ; leaving it to those that are better qualified; but have endeavor- 

 ed m plain words to give a few hints on the art of making our places 

 pleasant and home-like. Those who wish to pursue the subject (and I 

 hope they are many) will find many books that will afford them great 

 assistance, though no one of them will perhaps cover the whole ground. 



" Scott's Suburban Home Grounds," is one of the best T know of. 

 Downing's works are good, though not so well adapted to our wants as 

 could be desired. These and some of the many works on farming, 

 gardening, and Horticulture, will be found well worth studying, and to a 

 thinking man will give new and enlarged ideas and quickened perceptions 

 of beauty, that will be a source of pleasure and profit through life. . 



That there is a desire for something better, is shown by the ill- 

 directed and spasmodic attempts to "fix up a little " so often seen; 

 attempts that would, if ])rof)erly directed and combined with persistent 

 effort, make beautiful homes the rule, and not the exception ; and check 

 any repetition of the few noted places in our state, which, apparently in 

 a large measure more the result of accident, than design, are worthy of 

 praise as a beginning, though not to be conmicnded as models for any 

 one to follow. Want of knowledge and experience ( an not now reason- 

 ably be made an excuse for mistakes, by those who are willing to learn 

 and ready to i)ractice. 



There is much encouragement in (he fact thai many arc interest- 

 ing themselves in the work oi' cultivating a love for the beautiful as well 

 as the useful, and 1 hope, some day, to see as much appreciation of ihc 

 former as of the latter; among horticulturists at least. 



Many of them indeed claim it as one of their missions to encourage 

 everything that may promote a love of nature, and whatever may tend 

 to ennoble and refine our lives : but I am afraid that they sometimes lose 

 sight of the means best adafjted to show the irjim'iii:; infiiiciicc of 

 horticulture. 



The following essay is from one of the Correspondents of this Socie- 

 ty and is sent in, instead of an annual report. 



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