THE SECRETARY'S PORTFOLIO. 267 



As time passes along \re are gradually improving in that particular, that is, 

 when I say Tve I mean we farmers and fruit growers. We are not hankering so 

 much after the almighty dollar but that we can and do take one or two working 

 days in each month for social enjoyment as we are doing here this day. The 

 large number of horticultural societies and farmers' clubs now existing and 

 being organized in this land of the spread eagle, where men, women and 

 children meet together, as is done here to-day, is an evidence that speaks louder 

 than words that we are making great progress toward that mucli neglected 

 feature of xlmerican society, social enjoyment, living as God intended we should 

 live, as one grand family, as his children. 



This society has met once every month as we do here to-day, tlie last twelve 

 or thirteen years. Who can or will deny the fact that much good has come 

 from their meetings, not only to its members, but to our community at large. 

 Therefore, persevere my friends, not only in strengthening our own organization, 

 but do what we can to assist in organizing societies of a similar character 

 wherever you can ; be missionaries in the cause, make the world be the better 

 by you having lived in it. 



DISHONESTY IN HORTICULTURE. 



Not long ago I asked an eminent professor of our Agricultural College if he 

 knew anytiiing about "Ozone," so extensively advertised recently in nearly all 

 of our leading papers. His reply was, "It promises too much; its almost too 

 good to be true," and the recent analysis of the compound by Prof. A. B. 

 Prescott, of Ann Arbor, which reveals but three ingredients, namely, charcoal, 

 sulphur and cinnamon, proves that the inference of n:»y counsel was well 

 drawn. Our leading journals, in which we have had great conildence, can 

 hardly avoid censure by saying that "the order for the advertisement came to 

 them through a reliable agency," for undoubtedly thousands of dollars have 

 been sent to this Pernicious Preserving Company at Cincinnati for their two- 

 dollar compound, which costs the proprietors probably a nickel per package, 

 including wrapper and postage, and worth still less to the purchaser, because 

 the advertisement was seen in a reliable paper, and any publication which has 

 by lack of investigation, admitted to its columns such a gross imposition as 

 "Ozone," forfeits an amount of confidence which greatly injures legitimate 

 business transactions. There is probably no class of men that are more often 

 the subjects of base deception than the progressive horticulturist for the reason 

 that his great desire for knowledge and pecuniary profit impels him to invest in 

 almost every new thing that promises well, especially if it is heralded by a 

 creditable publication, and many a man has by " dipping into new things too 

 fast" lost home, reputation, and interest in horticulture, and then it has gone 

 abroad that "somehow he did not manage well," when the facts are that so 

 long as he had plenty of money to invest in novelties he was called a "progres- 

 sive horticulturist," but since his failure it is said he "fizzled out for lack of 

 judgment." Nor is deception to be found altogether outside of our horticult- 

 ural ranks. When we see great displays of fruit competing for premiums, 

 and made by parties who do not cultivate even a fruit tree, vine, plant or 

 shrub, but pick their specimens from the grocer's basket or from neighboring 

 orchards or vineyards, we are led to suggest that the exhibitor in all cases be 



