64 ANNUAL REPORT 



And now, Mr. President, what I wish to say in tlie most kindly manner to my 

 fellow members here, and what has been in my mind for three years past to say is, 

 that in view of such a service to the fruit interest of our State, and of the l)enefits 

 conferred on all of us as individuals by the production of this Wealthy, and in view 

 of Mr. Gideon's continued labors and experiments to produce other and possibly 

 more valual)le varieties of fruits by systematic propagation, Ijased upon his long 

 e.xijerience and close observation in cross breeding, had we not better, as a societj' 

 either sustain him in his position on the fruit farm, or if we cannot do that at least 

 let him alone? He has been made the subject of criticism in our meetings more or 

 less personal for three or four years past He has had his friends and defenders in 

 ovir debates, but when published in our transactions the record has been all against 

 Mr. Gideon. I, for one, am tired of this I feel that this society, instead of being 

 his detractor, should honor him. Other state horticultural societies are ringing 

 with his praises as a public benefactor. Every one of them in western states has 

 rAade him an honorary life member, and welcomes, in fact seeks his contributions 

 to its transactions. But it has come to pass here in this case that a prophet is not 

 honored in the horticultural society of his own country, and the fact does not at 

 preseist. stand to our credit. What is the reason of this? Mr. Gideon was invited 

 four years ago to read his paper on "Fruit Raising and Fast Horses" before this 

 society. In that paper he introduced matters not strictly horticultural, yet in his 

 opinion relative thereto. He commented freely, it was thought irreverently, in 

 language tliat will stand, in some sentences as models of vigorous English, on social 

 vices and sundry shams. It was too strong meat. The members could not all 

 stand it. Its further reading was interi'upted in the middle of the paper and for- 

 bidden ))}• vote. Mr. Gideon placed the manuscript in his pocket, and retired from 

 the meeting. He has not been here personally since, and probably will not until 

 his paper is recalled and spread upon our minutes entire. But what of this? Be- 

 cause we have got up a little rumpus with Mr. Gideon, shall the whole business of 

 thorough, systematic experimenting in the proj^agation of new varieties of a^jples 

 to supplement the Wealthy, and of other fruits, be set back? "Because we are 

 virtuous shall there be no more cakes and ale?" Who else but Mr. Gideon is cross 

 breeding in apple blossoms systematically? Who else but him is planting apple 

 seeds, except, perhaps, to grow roots to graft Mr. Gideon's varieties on for the tree 

 market? I mean who else but Mr. Gideon is doing this on any general scientific 

 plan in the public interest, or any other interest for that matter? Where is the 

 man among us who has obtained by a lifetime of observation such a mass of useful 

 information in apple propagation to use as a basis of successful work now and in 

 the future? If we do not like Mr Gideon's religious views, or all of his eccentrici- 

 ties, we are not thereby obliged to forget that he has done more for horticulture 

 than all the rest of us put together, nor that his goodness and integrity as a man 

 are unsullied; nor that while we are scolding him annually he is plodding away in 

 his experiments for our benefit, as hard as ever. Even while we sit here, he is 

 away, ransacking all the western and some of the eastern states for information 

 and scions of new varieties for the fruit farm. Nor need w^e be oblivious to the 

 fact that though this state experimental fruit farm is less than four years old, and 

 not reasonably expected to show any new fruits at present of its owm growing, that 

 is, in both tree and fruit, j-et by contributions from his own private grounds freel}' 



