ITTDIANA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 455 



President Stevens: That is all the time we can give to this discussion. 

 We will now talse up the next subject on the program, which is "Observa- 

 tions and Experiences at the World's Fair," by Mrs. W. W. Stevens. 



Secretary Flicli: Mrs. Stevens is unable to be here tonight, but she 

 has kindly sent her paper and I have requested Mr. Grossman to read it 

 for her. 



Mr. Grossman: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen— I rather hesi- 

 tated in tailing Mrs. Stevens' place here tonight, as it seems to me it is 

 presuming for me to attempt to read her paper, because you all linow 

 from past experiences what enthusiasm she puts into her papers when 

 she delivers them, and I can not give the expression that the writer would 

 give, but if you will bear with me I will do the best I can. 



EXPERIENCES AND OBSERVATIONS AT WORLD'S FAIR. 



My experiences and observations at World's Fair extended over four- 

 teen weelis, divided into three periods, viz: The opening, part of July 

 and the wliole of August, and the closing. To say that this was a 

 pleasant experience does not half way express it, for it was simply a 

 grand, glorious experience from opening to closing. There was no fea- 

 ture of it that was not full of valuable lessons as well as pleasures. 

 There was not a civilized nation on the g|obe that was not there, and 

 fitly repi-esented. There seemed to be no trade, calling or profession 

 whose followers were not seeliing recognition and clamoring for room, 

 and no form of amusement without its votaries by the score. The beauti- 

 ful grounds with its thousands of flower beds, blooming shruDs, water 

 gardens and statuary was a sight of such magnificence that one should 

 have felt repaid for the trip, if there had been nothing else to see. The 

 "palaces" were each of them an exposition within themselves and con- 

 tained an exhaustive display of all interests connected in any way with 

 their line of worli. The study and comparison of the peoples of the world, 

 their manners and customs was one of the striliing features to me. But 

 when one combines all these things it malies such a stupendous whole 

 that one mind can not grasp it all, and the best that can be done is to 

 t:ilie it as a precious jewel in a beautiful setting. After one gets home 

 the noise has left their ears, the glamour their eyes, and they have 

 time for sober reflection, then and not until then can they classify their 

 knowledge and find wliat they have really learned. 



I take it that our Program Committee has aimed all these "experiences 

 and observations" to have a ti'end towards horticulture. It is very un- 

 fortimate to prepare a paper just now and for this body, because so many 

 of you have visited the fair and have seen what I have in a general way, 

 and because there is no way that I can give anything definite or in detail 



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