WINTER MEETING. 137 



markets of foreign coantriee ; and the consumer will get a barrel of 

 nice apples for about $3, thus bringing them within reach of the masses 

 and creating a demand for large quantities. Then the apple will no 

 longer be considered a luxury, but will be classed as one of the staple 

 food products, and be found on the table of the common people three 

 times a day. When this shall have come, and when the population of 

 the earth has increased as it will, then the question may be asked : 

 Where are the fruits to come from to supply the people of the world ? 

 It will be answered then just as we answer it now : The orchards of 

 the world are in the great Mississippi valley of America. Then let us, 

 we who are now occupying the stage of action, and these younger 

 people who are ready to step on, resolve -to do our part for the advance- 

 ment of the work of the State Horticultural Society, so that when we 

 shall step down and others take our places, it may be said that we 

 have done our part in bringing our great State up to that high rank in 

 horticulture. That these things will come is my sincere belief and 

 earnest desire. 



After the vocal solo by Miss Ames, Pres. Evans called for a paper 

 on Horticulture by Mrs. Curtice. 



What I Know About Horticulture. 



When I received an invitation to read a paper before this Society 

 T was quite surprised. Conscious of my ignorance of horticulture, I 

 supposed others were also aware of my lack of knowledge, as it seems 

 to me it must be evident to the most earless observer. Still, as no less 

 a peisonage than Horace Greely, in his articles entitled ''What I Know 

 About Farming" was willing to confess his shortcomings, perhaps it 

 "Will not be improper for me to follow so illustrious an example. 



When I have a home of my own, I said in my confidential moments, 

 I will have fruit and flowers. My strawberries shall equal Mrs. Kam- 

 sour's. my grapes rival Mrs. Zimmerman's, my pansies shall make those of 

 Mrs. Wolfenden to hang their heads, and my roses put Mrs. Yickery's 

 to blush. I will eat peaches and pears from my own trees — I and my 

 children and my children's children. 



Living as I do, so near the public school, where the atmosphere 

 is permeated with learning, where music floats down upon the breeze, 

 and where, at times, the air vibrates with the laughter of merry child- 

 ren, one would think that flowers would bloom their brightest and 

 fruit-trees gladly yield their finest fruit. But, alas ! Things are not 

 what they seem and disappointment is the common lot of — woman. 



