STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 77 



results, and it is well to let it run on, and run out. Yet let me say timidly, and in 

 a whisper, that I cannot hut think that a beautiful fern, fresh from the Almighty 

 hand, is more truly satisfying to the pure, elevated taste than a stiff Japanese fan, 

 or a dilapidated tea-pot. 



Pardon a digression while I tell a story, in point, which all may not have heard : 

 A young married couple, intensified lesthetes, had j)rocured at gi-eat expense, and 

 in the face of difficulty and discouragement, one old, discolored and badly cracked 

 tea-pot— very rare and valuable, a bit of satsuma, for aught we know Placing it 

 very conspicuously among their collection of quaint old things, they stepped back, 

 and, with folded hands and uplifted eyes, gazed upon it in silent awe. At last, the 

 young wife found voice to say, with a tremor in her tones which bespoke heartfelt 

 emotion, "Algernon, beloved, let us try to live up to it." 



Now if a desire to be truer, purer and nobler can be stimulated by an infirm old 

 tea-pot, what miglit we not predict as the effect of beautiful ferns, the perfect 

 work of FTim who put into our hearts the love of beauty, should they once become 

 the fashion ? 



There will be a reaction some day ; the old disjointed things, the contemplation 

 of which now flMs some hearts almost to bursting with admiration, will be re- 

 manded to the garret, the dark closet, or the dust heap ; and then will come a 

 yearning for something really fresh and beautiful to fill the void. Let us be ready 

 with our ferns and pretty, graceful plants to catch these beauty lovers on the 

 rebound, and satisfy their yearnings. It may be that thus a new era of festhetics 

 ■will be inaugurated and hearts may be filled with healthy aspirations to live up to 

 the lessons our Heavenly Father inculcates, through the beautiful "voiceless teach- 

 ers" He has scattered in such rich profusion all over the world. 



Mr. Underwood moved, that in consideration of Mrs. Van Cleve's 

 long and intelligent work in horticulture, she be made an honorary 

 life member, which resolution was adopted. 



EVERGREENS FOR THE PRAIRIES. 



BY G. W. FULLER. 



Prairie and evergreens. These two words suggest all that can be said regarding 

 both the beauty and utility of setting evergreens on the prairies. But two or three 

 questions may be considered briefly perhaps with profit. Can evergreens be suc- 

 cessfully grown on the prairies ? This question is easily and satisfactorily answered 

 by the fact that they are now growing and growing well on all varieties of prairie 

 soil. Ten years ago the coming spring, I began in a wheat field where not a tree 

 or shrub of any kind was growing, or had ever grown, as far as we know, and now 

 I have thousands of evergreens as healthy and vigorous as in their native forests. 

 Among these are the Balsam Fir, Norway White and Black Spruce, Scotch "White, 

 Austrian and Norway Pine, the Arborvitae and Hemlock. 



What kinds are best ? The Austrian Pine T should reject entirely. While it is 

 quite tenacious of life, and makes a brave figlit for it, yet the Scotch and White are 

 90 much better, it is hardly worth while to have anything to do with it. The great 

 objection to the pines for general planting, is the great loss, unless the digging and 



