40 ANNUAL REPORT 



their lives followed some other vocation thun farming, and hence have but a super- 

 ficial knowledge of trees, or how they should ))e handled. We are expected to be 

 able to see the majestic tree in the tiny seed, and to know just how to get it out. 



The least we can do for such men will be to adopt a select list of such varieties 

 and species as will fiourish in this climate and soil, and meet the present and future 

 wants of the people, and impart such information and give such instruction as will 

 enable every settler to grow at least sufficient to meet his own wants. The other 

 objection made to our State, is that it is not adapted to the successful growing of 

 fruits, and especially apples. To a certain extent this is an erroneous idea, and yet 

 has it been so oft repeated that it has exerted a powerful influence against us. I dOr 

 and always have denied the assertion, and it is evident to every one wlio has attend- 

 ed our fairs for the past ten years, that we can and do raise many varieties of f ruit 

 of great excellence, and that we have made satisfactory progress, considering the 

 disadvantage of having to deal with untried varieties, and being so often victimized 

 by unscrupulous peddlers. 



We have been compelled to defy public sentiment, work under disadvantages and 

 surmount difficulties that nothing less than the enterprise and preseveiance of our 

 earlier fruit growers could have overcome. At the present time a universal interest 

 is being manifested in the production of new varieties from seed, which is worthy 

 of praise. The Wealthy is daily growing in popularity, and proving itself of in- 

 estimable value, not only in our own State, but in all the Northwest, New England, 

 and Canada. Although far from being perfect, it has had the efEect of encouraging 

 experiments in the productioui^and improving of varieties bv raising seedlings. 

 Doubtless this is the method which has given Russia and Siberia valuable varieties 

 adapted to their climate, which I suppose to be more inclement than ours. It is 

 nature's method, as old as creation, and which has gained in forge and power 

 through all the ages, and to natural hybridizing or cross impregnation of plants we 

 are indebted for every luscious fruit and many of our beautiful flowers. Whether 

 artificial impregnation of plants was known and practiced by the ancients, I am un- 

 able to say; but if so it became one of the lost arts to be re-discovered in our age, 

 and even now we but imperfectly understand the laws govering reproduction; but 

 from the rapid improvement in fruits we have witnessed in the last score of years, 

 we have reason to believe that we have only to become familiar with their operation 

 to be able to produce some of the grandest results the world has ever seen. We 

 have at our hand what would seem to be the best material to operate with. Some 

 of the Siberians have been already so improved in size and qualit}^ that were they 

 not so subject to blight, and had long keeping qualities, they would be about all 

 that could be desired; and many of the Russians are of large size and good appear- 

 ance and fair quality, perfectly hardy and only objectionable because so perishable. 

 Natural crossings of these with our common late-keeping varieties, while not im- 

 possible, would be a slow and uncertain process, owing to difl:erence of time of com- 

 ing into bloom; but when skill and science lakes them in hand we might reasonably 

 expect that rapid improvement will follow. In the past we have devoted the major 

 portion of the time in our meetings to the apple question; but we should bear in 

 mind that there are other interests demanding our prompt consideration. I have 

 already alluded to forestry. As it is so important an assistant to successful hor- 

 ticulture, I recommend that you give it a part of your attention, and every encour- 



