ANNUAL MEETING AT NEVADA. 177 



shall find no spot on earth where there is not some alcove of nature's 

 library with volumes enough to employ us for life." In the words of the 

 poet we must 



" Find tongues in trees, books in running brooks, 

 Sermons in stones and good in everything." 



Then we will not care so much to live within the shadow of a great 

 library, nor within sight of a church spire. If thought always dignifies 

 labor, then the faim should be made as fine a field of intellectual em- 

 ployment as any of the learned professions. When this pursuit is un- 

 dertaken with this understanding, its drudgery will disappear, and its 

 rewards to those heartily engaged in it, will be certain and abundant. 



I pause here a moment to consider what I have been saying, and 

 what warrarnt I have for appearing so wise in these matters. I think I 

 detect signs of amazement written on many of your countenances. It 

 may not be generally known that I am a member of the American Hor- 

 ticultural Society, in good standing, yet if you will get the proceedings 

 of their last meeting you will find it so written. I have a Pullman car 

 acquaintance with most of its officers and many of its members. At 

 one time I felt quite near to them. I was in California when they held 

 their last meeting — two hundred miles away. When I joined the society 

 the secretary was kind enough to give me a very valuable receipt — for 

 the membership fee. I say valuable, for with it I am always able to show 

 that I have contributed something to the cause of horticulture. 



For fear that I may have created a false impression, by some of 

 these carefully conned phrases you have just heard, I must unmask my- 

 self by admitting that as a practical Horticulturist I am a miserable fail- 

 ure. Years ago I planted some fruit trees. The most of them are live- 

 ing and making a rather tame effort to reward me. I am far from being 

 satisfied, but must confess to a lingering suspicion that the average boy 

 in my neighborhood has less reason for complaint. For several years I 

 planted garden vegetables of all sorts, and a posey bed now and then. I 

 have hoed until I could hoe no more, with my blistered hands. I have 

 watered the parched earth, at early morn and in the dewey eve, until I 

 haye grown stoop shouldered and mishapen. I have got out of the bed 

 in the dead, still hours of night and chased a neighboring cow three 

 times around the house and twice through the blackberry patch, and af- 

 terwards tried to live a week like a christian, to atone for the wicked- 

 ness of the occasion. I have grown short-sighted watching for the first 

 indication of m)- choice and tender plants coming forth. I have seen them 



II. K. — 12. 



