Winter Meeting. 317 



However, this study must not be at the expense of other branch- 

 es, for no class of men need more a general education than the farm- 

 er to intelligently carry on his work. He must have some knowledge 

 of chemistry to properly understand the needs and food for his own 

 particular soil and crops, some knowledge of materia medica in 

 order to care for his live stock, and much business training is nec- 

 essary, for all of us appreciate the fact that it is easier to produce a 

 crop than to market it profitably. 



This winter, in our "Legislature, we stand thirty-eight farmers 

 to forty-three lawyers. This small minority is backed by countless 

 number of men .who pay a large per cent, of our State taxes. Then 

 why should we not demand of the powers that be that equal oppor- 

 tunities be given our boys, and that every school curriculum in- 

 clude studies pertaining to this industry. 



When we clamor for good roads we are clamoring for the most 

 vital factor in the boy's social life, as w^ell as in his education, for 

 with good roads we shall have our graded district school with their 

 corps of competent teachers. 



I fully realize that I am treading upon dangerous ground when 

 I speak of the inheritance tax, which at present is centered upon 

 the University. While the entire State boasts with great pride of 

 the standing of our University, that ranks second to none, yet, un- 

 less we can properly prepare more boys in the smaller schools, the 

 agricultural department can never make the same practical success. 

 Our high schools have but comparatively few boys. Each year 

 more and more drop by the wayside. 



What we need is more financial aid for the smaller schools, and 

 we hope this tax may be given to the State at large, or, better still, 

 each county apply her own income from this resource at home, 

 where we can provide better opportunities for our neighbor's boys, 

 thus elevating the environments that help hold the boys on the 

 farm. Teach the boy that the tide is turning our way, the farms 

 that were once neglected are now fast being restored, that the men 

 with the farms and orchards are the men of the hour who form 

 the bulwark of this and every other progressive country. 



H. C. Irish of Shaw School of Botany, St. Louis, talked about 

 plans for a National Congress of Horticulture, to be held some time 

 next year at Jamestown Exposition. It is natural for the members 

 of this Society to give the most attention to that branch of horti- 



