Horticultural Education. 55 



• 



to be thus molded. They were not in evidence. Why? They knew 

 not the advantages of this kind of an education. No one seemed exceed- 

 ingly anxious to awaken an interest in the young mind. We said by 

 our actions that there was nothing in it, and the young men and 

 women of the land believed us. But to attempt to teach agriculture 

 and horticulture in college and neglect it in the common schools, i^ 

 like neglecting to impart lessons of truth and honesty until the student 

 enters college wher he may enter a class in Moral Ethics, In the first 

 he is slow to enter and in the second he is slow to practice. 



Wherein then, have we erred as to the order? In that we have 

 practically neglected to give instruction along natural lines. The little 

 child has been, too early, placed in the field of abstractions and kept 

 there. When later the longing for natural objects have been satisfied. 

 by no longer desiring them, we place in his hand a text on how plants 

 grow, and then try to revive a desire, long dead; killed by the system. 

 for plant life. Then, too, we wonder, why the boy, to manhood grown, 

 is not moved by the sweet song of the bird, tramples under foot the 

 beautiful ilowers without a thought, and surreptuously kills the inno- 

 cent quaily whose crop is at that very time filled with a thousand de- 

 structive insects. The answer is, we have been following an order that 

 places the hoi'se behind the cart. Let us begin now to change the 

 order. 



The child by nature is a naturalist. He desires to know more about 

 plants and animals. He also wishes the approval of- his seniors. If 

 those to whom he looks for guidance, ignore his questions, he will sooa 

 feel that the matter in which he is interested is of little importance, 

 and he soon changes the trend of his interest. 



Here is the danger point. Once destroy these wholesome and in- 

 nate desires, and -seldom can he be brought back to those simple tastes 

 that once challenged his youthful attention. 



The sweet lullaby of nature will never again sing to rest the per- 

 verted tastes of bookcrammed humanity. Let us be serious in viewing 

 this matter as the occasion demands. (Applause). 



