186 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



■v'ast territory. These are the means, and the only means 

 which God and nature have provided for the improvement 

 of our fruits. 



Were these my last words I would again impress them 

 upon you as of the utmost importance. With a careful 

 study of the tendencies of varieties and a judicious selec- 

 tion of parents, we will go on to produce fruits which will 

 be adapted to every clime where any species may be grown. 



Thus Providence has placed in the hands of man, a 

 power to assist nature in the production of her most perfect 

 and beautiful creations. And whatever some may think of 

 variations, evolution, transmutation, or transformation of 

 species, the great fundamental laws of life and its repro- 

 duction will remain unchangeable and immutable as long 

 as the earth bears a plant, or a tree yields fruit, or nature 

 holds her place in the universe. 



Nature is a kind handmaid, and, by her lovely creations, 

 is constantly inviting us to come up and assist in her glori- 

 ous conquests. Her voice is heard throughout the earth. 

 To us, she says: " Come up and sit with me, and you shall 

 have plenty and perfection. Come, and I will give you 

 fruits which shall delight the eye, gratify the taste, and sat- 

 isfy your souls. " 



O! Yes! Thou Queen^of Grace, 

 We'll come and take thee at thy word; 

 We'll iake tl;ee, Nature, as a bride. 

 And, hand in hand and side by side, 

 Our loves and labors we will join. 

 And bless the hand that gives us thine. 



You can do nothing better for the generations that are to 

 follow us; and so again, with line upon line, and perhaps for 

 the last time, I leave with you my old injunction: " Plat it 

 the most mature and perfect seeds of the most hardy, vigor- 

 ous, and valuable varieties and as a shorter process, insur- 

 ing more certain and happy results, cross and hybridize our 

 finest kinds for still greater excellence." Go on! Go on! 

 while you live, and when we are gone, others will rise up to 

 chant our old song: — 



