STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. T 



On motion of Mr. Humphrey, the report was received. 



M. L. DuNLAP, President of the Society, having arrived and taken 

 the chair, Hon. J. O. Cunningham, President of the Champaign County 

 Horticultural Society, addressed him, as follows : 



Mr. President: Your Society meets here to-day upon the invitation 

 of the Horticultural Society of Champaign County, and that Society has 

 desired me to welcome you to this city. On behalf of the Society 

 and of the people of this city, I take pleasure in introducing to you 

 Dr. Gregory, as my substitute in that pleasing dut}-. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 



Dr. J. M. Gregory, Regent of the Illinois Industrial University, 

 then spoke as follows : 



Mr. President arid Gcntlemeii of the Hortimltural Society of Illinois : 



It is with some reluctance that I step into the shoes of a gentleman 

 so large, in every way, as the gentleman who has taken his seat after 

 introducing me to you; and yet I do not know that he has anymore 

 largeness of heart to welcome you than I feel — just at this moment, at 

 least. I know I may speak to you not only as friends, but from what I 

 know of the Horticultural Society, and from what I know of the citizens 

 of Champaign, and the welcome you will receive here, and the pleasure 

 and advantage which will flow from your company — the pleasure they 

 will derive from listening to your papers and debates, and from partici- 

 pating in the meeting you are holding, I can bid you a hearty welcome. 



Why, in the very name of your Society — "Horticultural" — there is 

 something that attracts — there is the fragrance of flowers about it — there 

 is the savor of luscious fruits in it — a hint of homes surrounded by pleas- 

 ant shade trees and beautiful grounds, carefully cultivated by the gardener, 

 and every thing to make home lovely, attractive and beautiful. There is 

 a hint of the winter evenings, and the fruits of that joy which a happy 

 home gives. There is a hint of the summer days — of the spring-time — 

 and the autumn fruits — in fact, of every thing that is best in our nature. 

 The horticulturist, who takes care of our fruits, and beautifies our home, 

 is welcome everywhere, but especially welcome in this new community — 

 this new country — where the ripe fruits and the cultivated flowers have 

 only just begun to bloom amid the wilder products of the prairie. 



