STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 49 



start. The subject of hybridizing and originating new varieties 

 is the most important one that can come before us at this time, 

 and it is to be hoped that, in connection with the premiums for the 

 best new varieties which this society proposes to oifer, we shall 

 awaken an interest and start experiments in every part of the State. 

 I believe that the originating of one single variety that will keep 

 until May, and is as large, handsome and good as the Wealthy 

 (and that is hardy and productive everywhere), would be worth 

 millions of dollars to this and adjoining States, and the man who 

 originates it will occupy the highest place in the history of Horti- 

 culture, as Washington does in the history of our country. 



EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS. 



I have often spoken to you of the importance of locating some 

 experimental stations. There ought to be at least three in the 

 State under the direct supervision or control of this society, places 

 rhere we may conduct experiments in raising seedlings and where 

 we can test and quickly make known the result of every new va- 

 riety of fruit or tree that is a candidate for favor before we recom- 

 mend it for general trial by the people — by that method we would 

 much sooner ascertain whether they had merit, and it would save 

 large suras of money that are now expended for novelties that have 

 no value. No doubt it would be a wise investment on the part of 

 our Legislature to make an annual appropriation sufficient to de- 

 fray the expenses of such stations — but we can hardly ask it at this 

 time as the State is already expending a liberal sum for such a 

 purpose, but unfortunately for us where we can have no voice in 

 its management. W^e, as a society, are too poor to prosecute the 

 enterprise and must therefore, for the present, depend upon volun- 

 teers in that direction. Some of our nurserymen have expressed a 

 willingness to propogate enough of the new seedlings to give them 

 a trial. Unless we can decide upon something practical, would it 

 not be well for this society to designate some of them or even all 

 of them and authorize the Seedling Committee to place in their 

 hands cuttings and scions of such varieties as they deem worthy 

 to be propagated under such rules as will prevent the monopoly 

 of any one variety that should prove valuable? There may be one 

 other opportunity open to us, and my idea is that under present 

 circumstances we can do no better than to make overtures to those 

 who hav^e authority over the State Uuiversity farm asking them 

 to set apart a suitable portion of the farm and direct that such 

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