IlfDIAWA HORTICULTURAL S0CIT:TY. 598 



WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSION. 



Prof. Latta: The hour has come for calling this meeting together. 

 I will ask Mr. Talbert, of Albion, to lead us in the invocation. The 

 audience will please stand during the prayer. 



Rev. Talbert: Our dear Heavenly Father, we come before thy pres- 

 ence this morning to invoke thy blessing upon us. We thank thee for 

 those present here this morning, and for the meeting that has been in 

 progress here, and we pray that thy blessings may rest upon us. We are 

 conscious that we need thy help, for we have learned that every good 

 and perfect gift cometh from above, and is from the Father of Life. 

 We pray thee that thou wilt give us wisdom in the work that is before 

 us, that we may better our conditions and the conditions of mankind in 

 general. Bless the officers of this meeting, and those who have it under 

 their direction. We pray that the influence may go out over the entire 

 State of Indiana, that the influence of this meeting may be carried from 

 one side of the State to the other, and that an interest may be awakened 

 all over this great State of Indiana along the lines of agriculture and 

 horticulture. We pray that thy blessings may rest upon the meeting, 

 upon the speakers, and upon this entire town and vicinity. God grant 

 that thy blessings may rest upon all of us. All this we ask, for Christ's 

 sake. Amen. 



Prof. Latta: It is not very inspiring for a speaker to address a hand- 

 ful of people, but I want to remind the speakers who are on duty this 

 morning, and especially the one who is to open, that we are reminded of 

 the words of the bible: "Ye are the salt of the earth; ye are the light of 

 the world." And it is a common expression of mine at our institutes when 

 we gather Ihere with a handful of people and there ought to be one or 

 two hundred, or moi'e, I simply say, "Friends, here is the salt of the 

 earth, so we will begin." We must not feel discouraged over such things, 

 although we can not help feeling disappointed that there are so many not 

 here that might be here to their own proflt, and to our mutual good. So 

 I would have the speaker remember that he is talking to the leaders, who 

 will think, and apply reasons. Take courage; be of good cheer. I learned 

 years ago in this institute work not to be discouraged. 1 am often dis- 

 appointed, but not discouraged, because if one will permit it, it is easy to 

 find occasion for discouragement, and to sit down and say, "I will not 

 try any longer." This is a good work, and we are co-operating with the 

 farmer, and good will come from every good work and every good word. 

 You may rest as sure of it as that the sun is shining. We must have 

 faith in the ultimate outcome of our work. 



We will take so much of the morning as may be necessary for the dis- 

 cussion of the strawberry, and after we have disposed of that subject 



38— Agri. 



