194 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



our society, of which I am one of its youngest members, has selected 

 me to present you with this beautiful gavel, made from wood the fruit of 

 which horticulturists so much delight in. The head of this gavel is made 

 from the wood of the Bartlett pear, the Willow Twig, the Ben Davi& 

 and the Winesap apple. In presenting to you this gavel we hope and 

 trust that you may live long to wield it and use it as President of the 

 State society ; and we further trust that through your labor of love as 

 a horticulturist, and as President, you may bind and cement the differ- 

 ent societies of the State together as firmly and closely as are the 

 different pieces of fruit-wood in the head of this gavel. And now, on 

 behalf of the Laclede County Horticultural society, I present it to you. 



RESPONSE OF THE PRESIDENT. 



Miss Johnson : I can only thank you, and through you the La- 

 clede County Horticultural society, for this beautiful gavel. I assure 

 you that as long as I occupy this position I shall endeavor to wield it 

 to the advantage of the noble society to which you belong. I prize 

 this gavel most highly, and thank you again. It means work — that is 

 what we came here for. I have looked forward to this meeting as one 

 of the greatest importance we have ever held anywhere. I feel it more 

 to-night. I feel the fear, to some extent, that our discussion will not 

 be conducted just as it should be. I feel a weakness on my part to do 

 just what should be done for the best interest of the society. I ask 

 your assistance. If I make any mistakes, they will be of the head and 

 not of the heart. 



I now call for an address by Prof. Shepherd, of Springfield, Mo 



UTILITY PLUS BEAUTY. 



The ideal paper before such a society as this should be instructive 

 and practical. That person who is the most conversant with a given 

 subject, who has made it a success or failure, is the one best adapted 

 for its discussion. 



It seems like the refinement of cruelty to assign to me a topic that 

 more properly belongs to the gentler sex, and any failure to present it 

 adequately I shall beg to have shared with him who is responsible for 

 this first mistake. 



Suggestion is, however, of value as a method of instruction, and 

 it may be that even one whose chief relation to horticulture has been 

 to enjoy the labor of others may drop some word that shall lead to 

 profitable thought. 



