226 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL FESTIVAL. 



only those portions likely to be most inte 

 resting to all our readers. 



Marshall P. Wilder, Esq., President of 

 the Society, presided. With him on the 

 platform, were seated the Vice Presidents, 

 the Clergy-, Hon. R. C. Winthrop, Speak- 

 er of the House of Representatives in Con- 

 gress, His Honor the Mayor, Josiah Quin- 

 CY, jr., Ex-Governor Seward, of New- York, 

 Ex-President Quincy, Gen. Dearborn, first 

 President of the Society, His Honor Judge 

 Parker, Royal Professor in Law School, 

 HarvardUniversity, John S.Skinnek, Phila- 

 delphia, A. J. Downing, New- York, Mor- 

 ton BIcMichael, Esq., Chairman of Dele- 

 gation from Pennsylvania Society, Hon. 

 James Arnold, President of New-Bedford 

 Society, Dr. Thompson, of Delaware So- 

 ciety, and the Delegates of these and other 

 associations, and invited guests. 



A blessing having been invoked by Rev. 

 William M. Rogers, the assembly partook 

 of the entertainment provided for them. 

 After about half an hour, the President de- 

 livered the following address : 



Ladies and Gentlemen — We are assembled to 

 close, by the I'estivities of this evening, the twenti- 

 eth anniversary of our institution — to pass the so- 

 cial hour in the friendly interchange of thought aad 

 feeling, and thus to mark another epoch in its his- 

 tory, — thus by another link to connect the past 

 with the future, and to transmit its name and deeds 

 to posterity. 



From a small beginning, it has risen 1o a stand- 

 ing and importance among the associatinns of our 

 land, which it is believed is not only creditable to 

 its founders and members, but to the city of its 

 adoption. While, then, I congratulate the society 

 on the success of its cfTorts, and would excite you 

 to a renewed energy and zeal, let me also enforce 

 the good old precept, that ''grapes grow not of 

 thorns, or figs of thistles," and that without know- 

 ledge, scientific knowledge and skill, no great pro- 

 gress or permanent perfection cau be attained. 



Time was, when without the light of science, the 

 old worn out systems and routine of cultivation, were 

 handed down from sire to son, and from generation 

 to generation. But it is our hajipy lot to live at a 

 period when a new era has commenced — ^v,'hen the 

 most distinguished and learned men ol our age are 

 joining hands to advance the cause of the cultiva- 

 tor, — when chemistry, geology and the mechanic 

 arts have come up to his aid — when his employ- 

 ment has again become dignified, and he^ Aateas^ 



like, receives fresh impulses from his mother esrth 

 — when in some measure he appreciates the honcc 

 and glory that pertained to the calling in the palmy 

 days of Babylon and Rcme, and that he is no* 

 merely the tenant, but in a proper sense, the lord 

 of the soil. 



In view of tlie innumerable blessings and corns- 

 forts that arise from the cultivation of the earth, 

 and of its benign and healthful influences on both 

 head aad heart, allow me to urge, one an-i all, to 

 press forward in the good cause — " Forward." 

 Says an old writer, "plant trees, in the name of 

 God, plant trees, and noarish them in every corner 

 of your grounds — the labor is small, the reward 

 great. You shall have plenty, the poor shall have 

 somewhat in time of need, and God shall r-jward 

 your diligence." Plant trees, then, I repeat, and 

 shrubs and flowers, and make your home another 

 Eden, and around it shall cluster the purest, the 

 most refined and rational enjoyments of life — and 

 be not deterred b}^ the selfish ar/d fatal fear that 

 pos^sibly you may not participate in the harvest. 



Permit me to illustrate the folly of such procras- 

 tination by an anecdote : Many years since, but not 

 many miles distant from this goodly cit}', two bro- 

 thers settled on adjoining farms. The elder said to 

 the younger, " I mtend to plant an orchard." " Do 

 so," replied the younger, " but you will never reap 

 any advantage from it during your life." He, how- 

 ever, planted the orchard, and in fifteen years it 

 came into full bearing. The younger brother, ex- 

 cited by this glorious example, also planted ano- 

 ther, and in due course of time his trees were bend- 

 ing under their precious burden, which, though oft 

 repeated, was to my mind " better than apples of 

 goJd or pictures of silver," and for aught I know, 

 these brothers are now both living to enjoy the 

 good of their labor. 



" Better late than never," is a good maxim ; but 

 in this matter, while life lasts, " never too late," is 

 a better one. 



An old gentleman of this commonwealth, at th© 

 age of three score and ten, commenced the plant- 

 ing of an orchard and the nursery business. His 

 friends and neighbors told him that he was a fool- 

 ish old man — that liis labor was in vain, and "that 

 his strength would be spent for naught. '^ "Very 

 well," said he, " gentlemen, you have a right to 

 your opinions and so have I to mine ; but I have ate 

 many good apples from the trees planted by those 

 who have gone before me, and I am resolved to do 

 something for those who shall come after me." 

 He planted the orchard, but did he live to eat of 

 the fruit? Yes, ladies and gentlemen, for a lonj^ 

 course of years ; and although I cannot give you a 

 genealogical history of his line in scriptural terms, 

 of how juany sons and daughters he alterwards ad- 

 ded to his household, but I can tell you that he 

 lived not only to th© good old age of four score 

 and ten, but almost to five score and ten. Who 

 then shall say it is too late to begin the good 

 work? 



One of the best pieces of advice that great writer, 

 Sir Walter Scott, ever gave, was to plant a tree. 

 " When you have time," said he, " plant a tree; 

 it will be growing when you are sleeping." Yes., 

 ladies and getitleraeuj whea you aj:e sleeping ia 



