338 ♦ State Horticultural Society. 



until it would seem next to impossible to do anything without influenc- 

 ing every one else by these same deeds and they are responded to by the 

 actions of the community. In fact is not this reciprocity of ideas on the 

 part of the fruit growers of Kansas and Missouri the powerful lever which 

 moves this gTeat cause forward? 



I have outlined to you how closely all the affairs of the fruit grower 

 are connected with the proper soil, subsoil, location, varieties care and 

 cultivation of our fruit trees, and how truly they will reciprocate for all 

 this, and now wish to call your attention to the other phase of this topic, 

 of how easily and quickly all the insect life, the fungus disease, Avill 

 reciprocate if you will but do them the favor of letting them alone.'' 

 The insects will destroy, the fungi will blast, if we will but assist them 

 by neglect. Their success, their development, their propagation, their 

 power, depends upon reciprocity and that reciprocity is to be simply 

 "hands off." 



How quickly all the good things of earth respond to every favor 

 shown, every work done, every assistance rendered, every improvement 

 made while all the bad things of earth come if we only lie idle, only let 

 them alone, only neglect to care for them. 



Reciprocity comes more fully and more strongly and more truly 

 when we go to the very foundation of things. Only one example. Sup- 

 pose we take for the foundation of our apple orchard, the most perfect 

 plumpest, soundest seed from the hardiest, best colored and best matured 

 specimens of apples, taken from the healthiest, most vigorous, most pro- 

 ductive trees. Suppose then that we take only the very best of these 

 after letting them stand three winters and summers. Then let them 

 be grafted and scions taken from tlie choicest trees producing the most 

 fruit, highly colored and of best quality; what, think you would be the 

 result after years of this continual selection both of seed and scion. 



Tree planting of all kinds, how they return to us in a thousand ways, 

 in shade, in beauty, in cool atmosphere, in homelike surroundings, in 

 money value even, for all the care and attention and time and money 

 spent on them. Plant them around the home, along the highways, in the 

 fields and they will reciprocate for every attention and every care be- 

 stowed upon them. 



