182 GENERAL HISTORY. 



society, placed upon an easel a large, well executed crayon portrait of the 

 president, which had, without the knowledge of Mr. Lyon, been ordered by 

 the executive board of the society; and, in honor of his work and influence, 

 will be placed for permanent keeping in the State Capitol at, Lansing. 



It was, to Mr, Lyon, a complete surprise, and he was so deeply moved that 

 response was impossible, and he quickly resumed his seat, a-kiug to be 

 excused from remarks. Mr. Gibson's tribute was spoken Avith much feeling, 

 and although he uttered high praise of Mr, Lyon, no member will say he in 

 any respect exceeded what was due." 



President Willits, of the State Agricultural College, was now introduced 

 and gave the lecture of the evening on 



CULTURE AN1> HORTICULTURE, 



which opened with the remarks : "Language expresses only a portion of our 

 ideas. In a sense all men are tongue-tied. \\' ords suggest, but no more keep 

 pace with the thought than the hand follows the stone propelled by its 

 power. Words, say the dictionaries, are the signs of ideas; but words are 

 visible, oral, material, and as signs, are no more the thing itself than the bill 

 poster is the menagerie behind the canvass." 



But to attempt to give the thought and sparkle of the address would be 

 like attempting to paint a sunbeam. Nothing short of its reproduction in 

 full can do this. 



Two deflnitions only are extracted as indicative of leading thoughts: 



''Culture is the unwritten law that compels society to do the right thing 

 at the right time, in the right way. Its order is an impulse rather than a 

 law. A\lien it has become a second nature, if by chance it never was first 

 nature, it raises the race from barbarism to civilization — the whole plane of 

 mankind is elevated." 



" Horticulture is defined as the most perfect method of tilling the earth so 

 as to produce the best results, whether the products are objects of utility or 

 beauty. It ia the acme of agriculture, with more culture in it, of the kind 

 we are discussing, than in agriculture, for the reason that there is more per- 

 sonality in it, more cultivation and a better grade of products. There is but 

 little scope for taste in a farm ; they are all of the same type. There are no 

 two gardens alike — there is individuality in them. Whatever calls for taste 

 has culture in it, whether it be a home, a room, a garden, a wrap or a bonnet. 

 Whatever calls for harmony in detail and results, whether in a landscape, a 

 garden, or a garment, has culture in it." 



The lecture closed the evening session. 



The session of Thursday morning commenced with the reporting of the 

 following by a committee chosen for the purpose : 



Resolved, That, in view of the fact that fruit is often handled with undue careless- 

 ness by express companies, and by railways, and thereby its value very much depreci- 

 ated and often ruined, we hereby earnestly urge upon all such companies the uecessitj 

 of more careful handling of fruit and an honest respect for the property of others. 



John Sailor, 



D. W. HiNMAN, 



Geo. Hosfohd, 



Committee. 



