182 State Horticultural Society. 



with those given to other departments. The United States is sup- 

 posed to be a peaceful nation, yet the same year the War Depart- 

 ment spent $114,657,246 — about twenty-five times as much as for 

 agriculture. The one fosters production, the other destruction. In 

 addition to this, the Navy Department received $68,303,025, a total 

 for the war side of $184,960,271. Just think of $180,000,000 more for 

 the fighting side of o.ur national life than the peaceful side of apri- 

 culture and kindred industries ! Given a tithe of this sum for a 

 period of years, what magnificent work might not be accomplished in 

 agriculture! In 1900, $20,500,000,000 of capital were invested in 

 agriculture; the annual output was $1,470,000,000. 



Fruit growers and farmers, compare the figures for national de- 

 fense with those for national development upon a sure foundation of 

 a sound and stable agriculture, and well may vv^e ask. when will agri- 

 culture come to her own? 



THE PAST AND THE PRESENT. 



But there is abundant reason for congratulation. In the early 

 days of scientific investigation, the individual labored alone, unaided 

 by state or community. His theories were assailed on every side; 

 his discoveries were met with derision. His light went out when he 

 died. There was no pupil, no institution to develop his discoveries 

 and immortalize his name. There was no continuity of effort. How 

 impressive is the change that has come over the face of scientific re- 

 search ! How significant the difference in the attitude of the now ex- 

 pectant public ! Notwithstanding the striking transfiguration, the 

 conditions surrounding the investigator are not always ideal, even in 

 this twentieth century. There are places where, instead of work- 

 ing- in an atmosphere charged solely with the investigational and 

 pedagogic spirit and freed from petty executive trammels and financial 

 annoyances, his every step must be attuned to the key set by local 

 or State politics. No man can do good work who is obliged to work 

 with one eye on the plant or crucible, and the other on the political 

 barometer. To do good work, the investigator must give his undi- 

 vided attention to the problem before him, and then he must possess 

 certain fundamental requisites. The first essential of every investi- 

 gator is absolute unswerving honesty. The next is scrupulous exacti- 

 tude; and a third should be a free, open and unbiased mind. Given 

 these three, coupled with an inborn spirit of investigation for the 

 love of truth, backed by a generous support, moral and financial 

 (for men must live), what a cheering expanse opens before the 

 scientists. 



