STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 337 



APPENDIX. 



FRUIT CULTURE AND FAST HORSES. 



The Civilizing Effects of the Former and the Demoralization Caused 

 By the Latter — An Address Delivered Before the Minnesota 

 State Horticultural Society at the Annual Meeting Jan- 

 uary^ 1879. 



By Peter M. Gideon, of Excelsior, Minn. 



[Omitted from the Report of 1879, and now printed by order of the Society.] 



Mr. Fresident and Fellow Citizens: 



I presume tbat we all feel that we eame here to promote State and 

 national greatness, by encouraging the growth of fruit. 



The culture and use of fruit we hold to be the greatest of all civilizing 

 elements known to man, and the more and better, the greater the ad- 

 vancement of moral refinement ; and to that end we are here to ascertain 

 the best in quality that are adapted to our climate. And not only to 

 ascertain the best now extant, but to encourage the production of more 

 and better, as well as the best mode of culture. 



The history of all nations shows that national greatness keeps pace 

 with the luxuries of life, and that the most attractive, longed for and 

 sought after luxury is fruit. And in proof of the moralizing influence of 

 fruit is the fact that fruit growers seldom use tobacco, beer or whisky, 

 and that their children seldom become thieves. And that for the reason 

 above stated, that of all luxuries fruit is the most tempting, and those 

 that have not got a supply, look wistfully at that of others, and the par- 

 ent so desiring, the thought takes form in the forthcoming child, so that 

 with it to see, is to contrive and steal. 



A natural result of the law of reproduction, that the child should start 

 where the parent stopped, and sink or soar to where the parent longed to 

 go. The great majority of thieves take their first degree by stealing 

 fruit, and until we can induce a general culture of fruit, so that every 

 family can luxuriate under his own vine and fruit trees, we will be 

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