100 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Though I be shut in darkness, 



Or become insentient dust; 



I count oblivion scant price to pay, 



For having once known woman's holy love 



And a child's kiss. 



And for the little space been boon 



companions day and night, 

 Fed on the odors of the summer's dawn 

 And folded in the beauty of the stars. 

 Dear Lord, though I be changed to senseless clay, 

 And serve the potter as he turns his wheel 

 I thank Thee for the gracious gift of woman. 



Brothers, I ask you to pledge me this old, old theme and yet one 

 that is forever new. Here's to our mothers, wives and sweethearts, and 

 the ladies everywhere — God bless them. 



Prof. Thos. Gunson, replied to his toast in a most felicitous manner, 

 stating that the historical opinion of the previous gentleman and his 

 did not agree, "for," said he, "you remember that our ancient, honored 

 and primitive ancestor after she got the surroundings all to herself, she 

 commenced, just as soon as she was 'Able/ to raise Cain. (Laughter.) 

 If you could go back and behold our primitive mother emerging from 

 her dwelling place, and taking of the fruit of that tree, and passing 

 it around, would you not he in sympathy with the fellow who gave way 

 at that time? 



But I want to say that these men and women who come here once 

 a year to cross swords are the embodiment of this, which means horti- 

 cultural progress. These industries remind me of an incident related 

 of an Irishman who visited the British Museum, and as he walked 

 through its many passages, he observed a figure with its wings and 

 arms taken off, to signify or typify the victor, and as he tried to 

 decipher the word at the base, he muttered to himself, "Begorry, I should 

 like to see the other fellow." We have come here among other things 

 to see to what extent you have suffered. But when these difficulties 

 and tribulations and perplexities have passed away, then may you and 

 I be invited to enjoy these regions, not in pearly streets nor streets of 

 gold, but in the fields where the trees bear fruit like this, and surround- 

 ed with conditions such as my good friend Smythe has dwelt upon. 



Mr. A. IT. Hendrickson, spoke upon the M. A. G. impress upon Horti- 

 culture. He desired to thank the Horticultural Society on behalf of 

 the students for the opportunity of coming up to this meeting and 

 taking a small part therein, and of meeting such prominent men in 

 horticulture. He thought through the army of graduates every year 

 who went out all over the country from the long and short courses, a 

 good work was done. These young men especially, who go out after 

 four years of training, with their enthusiasm and knowledge, both practi- 

 cal and theoretical — when they join hands with practical and success- 

 ful horticulturists, the effect must be a decidedly advantageous one. 

 • Their scientific 1 ruining can not help but exert a beneficial influence on 

 these with whom they come in contact. 



"School Gardening," was the topic of a very interesting address by 

 Mr. J. H. Skinner, the new farm manager of Kent county. He said 

 that in his travels over the country, he was struck with the large 

 number of people on the farm who were over fifty years of age, and 



