132 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



cause I don't keep a garden myself, but I am no worse off than 

 they are. This reminds me of a man I knew in New Mexico, 

 and let me say that the people of New Mexico are considered 

 barbarous. When I lived there, I had half of the house owned 

 by this man. His name was Miles. He was rather free and 

 easy in his manners, and had only a common education. He 

 had one of the most beautiful flower gardens around his house 

 that I ever saw. There were all colors of the rainbow. It was 

 a very interesting study for me to see how this man, engaged 

 in another business, was deriving so much real culture from 

 his work. 



It is true, Mr. President, that in Nebraska one of the greatest 

 needs we have is for beautifying our homes. It seems to me 

 that the school of Agriculture in the University should see to it 

 that every student who attends here shall go forth with the 

 firm determination of making his home a thing of beauty. Here 

 again, we have the elements of culture. So I say, ladies and 

 gentlemen, that horticulture is one of the things that belongs 

 to the fine arts. While it is intensely practical, yet there is 

 combined with it the highest elements of aesthetic culture. 



This gentleman in New Mexico knew more about grouping 

 colors than any man I have ever met, and he learned it all by 

 himself too. What joy and culture came to him as he worked 

 among his flowers. It all came because of the fact that he was 

 interested in them. Horticulture is not only a fine art, but it 

 is one of the best educators. It gives the best training to the 

 perceptive faculties that can be given by any science connected 

 with agriculture. I think that Professor Emerson will agree 

 with me in this estimate that I place upon the work in horticul- 

 ture. Then another question of great importance is that of 

 Forestry, which is a branch of horticulture. I believe there is 

 a great step to be taken yet in this matter. It seems to me, 

 ladies and gentlemen, that the State Horticultural Society will 

 be fully justified in making such demand upon the Legislature 

 and Board of Regents as will result in their equipping the de- 

 partment of horticulture with facilities for carrying on experi- 

 ments not only in fruit growing, but also experiments in growing 

 forest trees as well, and that we shall have abundant opportun- 

 ities for disseminating this knowledge throughout the state. 



