66 Wisconsin State Horticultural Socibtt. 



The cultivation of flowers, whether it be the tiny and cheap 

 plants, growing in cracked cups and leaky pans in the poor labor- 

 ing man's cottage window, or the blgh priced and richest hued 

 exotics growing in costly vases, in conservatories of finest archi- 

 tecture, or in elaborately laid out beds, intermingling with stately 

 palms and other tropical glories, in the palatial gardens and pal- 

 aces of the great and wealthy of our land, is wielding a mighty 

 influence to draw man away from dissipation and crime, and to 

 elevate the moral condition of the human race, which no one, 

 today, can tell, no pen describe. It is calculated to engage the 

 intellect, and open fields of inexhaustible treasures which the 

 longest life is far too short to explore, and it will forever be re- 

 plete with animating discoveries of new beauties. To stand upon 

 the dome of your court house, or the state capitol, or upon an 

 eminence in the midst of a beautiful landscape, and to behold the 

 *' king of day," after having cheered the world with light, life 

 and warmth, as he sinks beneath the horizon, touching up the 

 tree tops, rocks, hills and threatening clouds with lights and shad- 

 ows, is glorious; it gives us a glimpse into paradise — into 

 heaven. The first is like the passing away of the life 

 of a good man ; the brightness that follows is like the begin- 

 ning of the life of glad childhood. I have beheld many such 

 scenes, and some of them will live forever in the memory, 

 and doubtless have influenced my whole life. Perhaps the- grand- 

 est of all was upon a battle field in Mexico, where the splendor 

 that streamed forth upon a threatening sky, and the reflections 

 upon the surrounding mountains was an inspiration to a little 

 band of hungry and weary soldiers that enabled them upon the 

 following day to win a brilliant victory against great odds. But 

 that victory is insignificant compared with the one that is being 

 gained in this city by the inspiration of the beautiful and well- 

 grown flowers that shed forth their brightness and fragrance from 

 the bay windows, piazzas and lawns of your beautiful residences 

 and from the skillfully arranged drives and walks of your ceme- 

 tery, where the richest gems of Flora everywhere abound. 



I doubt if anywhere in the great west, where cities spring up as 

 if by magic, and improvements come as a flash of light, any place 



