THIRTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 145 



I want the vast ranks of our great rural nation, 



To awake to the power that lies in our hands. 

 We are no longer serfs! Let us rise in our station — 



And stand for the dignity due our broad lands. 

 I want the farm home to be wreathed in the beauty 



That's told through the notes of dame Nature's refrain. 

 And I want every farmer to feel it his duty 



To cradle his swath down through Life's golden grain. 



That cold chisled marble that stands as a heading, 



To mark the lone grave of the mortal below, — 

 Is a mighty poor tribute — and a cheap sleazy spreading, 



To fling o'er a life that has shed its last glow; 

 But, to him who has lived with an eye to earth's beauties — 



And has studded Life's pathway with flowers and trees, 

 He has builded his monument out of his duties 



And they whisper his requiem, when touched by the breeze. 



'Tis the home with its trees; its lawn and its flowers; 



That stand as an index to those neath its roof, 

 'Tis the clean tasty farm with its cool shady bowers 



That builds up its owner — and writes out his proof — 

 And the same thing holds true with the man void of spirit. 



He's a slip in life's cogs — and a blurr on God's plans! 

 His home's a disgrace; and we see — as we near it — 



But a bunch of dead leaves that is left on our hands. 



I've a picture to hang 'fore your eyes before parting — 



'Tis a lawn, checked by sun spots that sifts through green trees. 

 There are children at play; their long journey— just starting — 



Life's sunbeams — midst flowers — all tossed by the breeze. 

 There's a cottage — not grand — yet, its home like surroundings 



Are welding gold links in the child's memory chain^ 

 And, when time sets her brake — and the footsteps cease bounding. 



Green paths will lead back to sweet childhood's refrain. 



Friends, what's your life mission; wasted effort, or sheaves? 

 Is it rich growing grain, or a drift of dead leaves? 



SECOND DAY. 



The first session of the second day was opened with invocation by Rev. Collins, of the 

 local M. E. church, who also favored the audience with a few well chosen words touching 

 upon the relation of horticultural work of the state and community to the work in which 

 he was interested — holding that such an occupation tends to develop the saner element 

 in man more than those vocations that keep men away from nature. 



As the local growers and those from different sections of the State were vitally interested 

 in the San Jose scale the discussion of the afternoon previous was continued. Regarding 

 the advisability of mixing Bordeaux with the lime and sulphur wash. Prof. Taft urged 

 that such a combination was unnecessary as the lime and sulphur was a very efficient 

 fungicide and accomplished every purpose of the Bordeaux mixture. It is therefore 

 a waste of time and expense to combine these two materials. The professor then drew 

 attention to the importance of using iron apparatus for handling the lime and sulphur 

 as brass and copper is easily corroded by the mixture. 



What varieties of apples, if any, are least subject to the San Jose scale? To this Prof. 

 Taft responded that kinds with slender firm wood are generally less liable to be 

 affected than those having soft wood. The Northern Spy was mentioned as one not much 

 troubled by the scale. The Keiffer pear is also avoided by the insect as it often is by man. 



As to the standard of quality to be considered in the planting of commercial apple 



orchards, it seems to be the general opinion that the future market is going to demand 



a fruit that has the quality. While at the present time color, fine appearance and size 



seem to be the leading factors in the trade, yet it is gradually coming to be obser\'ed that 



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