84 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOGIETy. 



government, and what has been their pro<^res8 in civilization. After 

 such sad experiences they were taught by other kinds of teachers. 

 They were ^shown how to live a happy life by tilling the ground pro- 

 ducing their own means of subsistence, raising vegetables and eat them 

 set out orchards and build suitable homes ; they were taught to help 

 themselves, and you observe already a marked step forward in the 

 path of civilization. That is the work of horticulture, the doctrine to 

 civilize successfully in modern times. 



And on what place do we find horticulture in ancient times ? 

 Herodetus, a Greek historian, tells us that lettuce was a favorite dish on 

 the tables of the most refined inhabitants of Greece and Eome, and 

 also of other eastern nations of any renown. They were acquainted 

 with the spinage, the asparagus and celery. Eadishes were a highly 

 prized garden truck, and were held in as high report as with us. 

 Parsnip, which was found in the barbarous country on the river Rhine, 

 was well known by the Roman Emperors, and had to be imported to 

 figure as a rare esculent on their tables, as well as on the tables of 

 Roman nobles. The beet and the carrot, the peas and the beans, 

 cabbage and turnips were well known to most people in the ancient 

 times, and wherever they were used as a daily food, they were a har- 

 binger of civilization. 



The fruit of the orchard and the luscious grape of the vineyards, as 

 well as the berries which were served as desert at the sumptuous 

 meals of the most cultivated people in early days, were they not a civ- 

 ilizing agent ; and the man who cultured them, was he not a benefactor? 

 And his place of standing in society was one of the foremost amongst 

 the best cultured and civilized men of the age. 



Once there was a time when the French nation was the most cul- 

 tured and highest civilized people of earth, when kings and princes looked 

 upon them as an exemplar in art, education and refinement. Tourists 

 and travelers tell us that it is a pleasing sight to see all along on both 

 sides of the public highways rows of fruit trees, and you may dis- 

 tinguish one department from another by the kind of trees planted 

 along side the road. 



The roses of Monsieur de Malsherbes, at Malmaison, are historical. 



Since the destruction of the vineyards in some localities in France, 

 their land has been planted with roses, so that you may see instead of 

 the luscious grape, fields of roses as a source of income to the hus- 

 bandman, a sign of progress in culture aiid civilization. 



It is a commendable act of our Governor of Missouri to have a 

 day, the 16th of April, set aside as day of tree planting by old or young. 



