INDIANA HOETICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 421 



plisbed in these meetings for tlie uplifting and betterment of our people. 

 Grant that the means of education which this Society shall use shall be 

 for the promulgation of the true, the beautiful and the good. We ask 

 that Thy blessings may rest upon the exercises of the hour, and upon the 

 persons here assembled, and grant that it may be the means of such an 

 education as shall be of benefit to our people in the State, and that our 

 people may be better able and qualified for the purpose for which they 

 have been called. Give us Thy blessings while we shall live, and when 

 death comes may we be gathered home as Thy children. We ask It in 

 Thy name. Amen. 



President Stevens: 1 wish to name some of the committees 

 which we shall need at this meeting in oi'der that they may take up their 

 work as soon as it is ready. The committee to pass on the fruit and 

 flower exhibit shall consist of E. Y. Teas, W. H. Lafuse and Mrs. H. M. 

 Stout. 



The Auditing Committee shall consist of .7. C. Radcliff, John Apple 

 and C. N. Lindley. 



There may be some other committees, but they will not be appointed 

 here, but will be appointed as they are required. 



Is Mr. Swaim, the Vice-President in the room? Mr. Swaim, will you 

 please take the chair? 



Chairman Swaim: The next topic upon the program is the Presi- 

 dent's address by W. W. Stevens. 



Mr. W. W. Stevens: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen— The 

 annual meetings of the Indiana Horticultural Society are always occa- 

 sions of interest to progressive fruit-growers, who strive to keep pace 

 with the world's pi'ogress. Each year the wideawake horticulturist picks 

 up new ideas or makes new discoveries along some line of his work that 

 are revelations to everj' other horticulturist, and the object of these meet- 

 ings is for us to come together, compare notes and scatter broadcast any 

 information we may have obtained by reading, investigation or experi- 

 ment. 



This is a business meeting and we are glad to note the practical 

 trend of the present-day farmers' and fruit-growers' gatherings. In many 

 places we notice that local pomological and horticultural societies are 

 having their "orchard field days." These meets are held in orchards, 

 where the methods can be demonstrated with the real objects at hand. 

 It seems that such surroundings should inspire a society to seek after 

 those things which will aid its members in their everyday work. This 

 is a very practical age in which we live, and in our business we must be 

 very practical if we would win the greatest success. I would not discourage 

 wholesome, entertaining meetings among farming classes, for there 

 is as urgent need for the latter as there is for the former. Good social 



