298 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



In couclusioD, the fiuaucial troubles that struck this and some 

 other countries last fall, have been felt among flower sellers gener- 

 ally, but not so much as might be supposed, considering that flowers 

 are generally thought to be a luxury. Flowers are in these days be- 

 lived by many people to be among tiie necessities, as they are and 

 may be used appropriately ou all occasions, whether at births, mar- 

 riages and at deaths; they are never out of place no matter when 

 or where they may be used. 



ADDRESS OF GENERAL BEAVER. 



Mr. Chairman, I am gratified by the honor you have just done me 

 in calling on me at this time. From what my friend Herr, says, it 

 might be inferred that I am loaded at the wrong end. I did not ex- 

 pect to say anything on agriculture this morning, and my thoughts 

 are iv. such shape that I am afraid they will hardly be helpful to any 

 one of you. 



'To be a successful farmer a man must necessarily know other 

 things, and must keep in touch with the progress that is made. One 

 thing I think in which more progress has been made this year than 

 in any other line of agriculture, is in the matter of soil analysis, and 

 I have been strongly impressed by the importance of this subject. 

 How and where and why to place things so as to get the best re- 

 sults is of the greatest importance to the farmer. Up at State Col- 

 lege we recently purchased a farm, not quite adjoining our property, 

 but one with many desirable features, with the object in view of 

 converting it into an orchard. The orchardist came and analyzed 

 the soil. There was an open, well-turned piece of ground, that it 

 occurred to me was just the thing, but he did not agree with me. 

 We went up and down that ground, and he said "here a Baldwin 

 apple will grow," and again "here they vrou't grow." This soil ex- 

 pert found there were twenty different areas. The elements of the 

 soil contribute largely to the life of the tree and its fruit, and he 

 found these elements varied, so he could tell where the fruit would 

 grow and where it would not. I don't know whether he is right or 

 not. Time will tell; but the soil expert v>^as very positive, and will- 

 ing to stake his reputation upon it. This was the first time my at- 

 tention was called to the necessity of knowing the soil if we want 

 to be sure of our product. 



To come nearer home, I represent the heirs in a certain farm that 

 is being conducted on shares. We have been putting commercial 

 fertilizer on the soil, and heretofore I have always left the selec- 

 tion to the farmer; he would send in a bill for two-fifths of it, and I 

 would pay it. I said "this year I want to look into it; I don't be- 

 lieve that we have been putting the right thing on that soil; what 

 we need is nitrogen, and I want you to take a little can of the soil, 

 and take it to Dr. Frear at State College and have him analyze it; 

 I believe what the soil needs is nitrogen, and not potash." It is an 

 old furnace quarry, in which they burned charcoal for many years. 

 Dr. Frear's analysis bore out my impression, and I said to the far- 

 mer, "now we will have to get the nitrogen; we have potash 



