PROCEEDINGS. 23 



orchards laden with fruit. We do thank Thee that Thou hast 

 blessed us and placed us in such a world as this; that there are 

 so many things to make us happy and comfortable. And we 

 thank Thee that Thou hast put before us the opportunity of im- 

 proving in all things. And we have come together in this 

 session for the purpose of interchange of thought, for mutual 

 improvement, to gather unto ourselves the hel^DS that will 

 enable us better to do our work in life. We thank Thee, our 

 Father, for this interest, and we pray that Thou will be in these 

 sessions from beginning to close. Oh grant, our Father, that 

 there may come to us thoughts that will do us good, and we 

 may gain an inspiration, and as we see what has been done by 

 effort, may it be an incentive to us to put forth our energies in 

 stronger effort that we may do greater good in the future than 

 we have in the past. Bless us now, help us to honor Thee in all 

 the things that we enjoy, and when Thou art done with us, re- 

 ceive us unto your Jesus Christ. Amen. 



The President: The address of welcome was to be given by 

 Mayor Neptune, but he is out of the city and necessarily de- 

 tained, and so we will have the pleasure of listening to Mr. F. 

 A. Bald, who will give us the address: 



Mr. Chairman, Members of the Nebraska Horticultural Society, 

 Ladies and Gentlemen: The development of Nebraska has 

 been along rapid but well defined lines. Our people have never 

 been slow to take up and put in force the large numbers of new 

 and useful improvements that speak for the advancement of our 

 state. There are few men and women who, having lived in this 

 locaUty for any length of time, are unable to look back and re- 

 call the day when Nebraska was in a far more primitive con- 

 dition than it is at present. 



Why Nebraska has outgeneraled all other states along this 

 line has often been presented to me in the nature of a query; 

 and, i^pon reflection, the only possible reason that can be as- 

 signed is, that our people are of broad mind and keen intellect. 

 They readily see an opportunity to elevate and have no feeling 

 of hesitancy in forming opinions and expressing beUef s concern- 

 ing any subject or matter that may be presented for contro- 

 versy. 



This broadness of mind, this keenness of intellect and this 



