390 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



very much to reach these people with such facts concerning horticulture as 

 will lead these people to employ their spare hours in bringing about their 

 homes the attractions and luxuries which a knowledge of horticulture will 

 enable them to do. I heartily concur in the advice of Mr. S. H. Comings 

 to every man who works for wages : 



" Just as soon as possible have a piece of ground for a garden; one acre if 

 possible, and put in your spare time there. If practicable work for wages 

 but five days in the week and put the other day in the garden. I believe if 

 all wage-workers who are employed by the day would accept eight hours' pay 

 for eight hours' work, and with fair industry, put their spare time in work 

 in their own garden, the day of the ' conflict of labor with capital ' would 

 soon be over, and wage-workers would soon be the independent parties 

 sought for by capital. 



" It is wonderful, too, how soon such work becomes very interesting to 

 every one who goes at it. As a means of rest and recreation, its attractions 

 for the shop-worker are far ahead of the saloon or the streets. 



"And children brought up to study the growth of plants and flowers are 

 educated in a way that will be most likely to make them good citizens. 



" At present there are too many who depend for their whole living on 

 their daily wages. There are more workers than work, and the profits on 

 garden stuff purchased instead of raised, takes the whole income. 



" The garden was man's first place of happiness and it may be where he 

 can yet gain the most happiness for his last work in life." 



And because I believe so earnestly that the pursuit of the more attractive 

 branches of horticulture, especially those connected with the embellishment 

 of homes, which embrace a knowledge of art and a necessity for physical 

 exertion in pure air and bright sunshine, is the most positive cure for a large 

 proportion of human ailments, I have gathered facts, observations and 

 experiences that illustrate my convictions, and that I hope will have a tend- 

 ency to convince others of the soundness of my faith. 



Once more let me give an additional reason for putting so much time and 



thought into the gathering of facts with reference to the horticulture which 



does not put money into the pocket book, which is often considered more 



beautiful than useful. Mr. W. K. Gibson expressed better than I can the 



potent influence that emanates from the employment of horticultural art as 



an accessory to the building of character when he said : 



" The foundations of character are laid in the home, and earlier education 

 and culture commence there. It is reasonable, therefore, to expect, that 

 when the home represents what is true, harmonious and beautiful, character 

 will be formed there under the most favorable conditions. It must follow 

 then that that which makes the home beautiful and attractive, which fur- 

 nishes the best models of taste, which appeals to the better nature always, 

 which brings the child continually close to nature in her perfect forms of 

 tree and plant and flower, is playing no mean part in moulding character 

 and shaping the future life. Yet this is the very work horticulture is doing. 

 It spreads about the home a beautiful lawn. It plants graceful shrubs and 



