STATE HOETICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 83' 



Mr. Dart said that in our meetings for discussion, he would be in 

 favor of gaining time by shortening the list of subjects for discussion,, 

 and include fruit and flowers only. 



Mr. Pearce said it was best to confine ourselves strictly to fruits^ 

 and flowers, and continued that we were passing over important ques- 

 tions much too superficially. We ought, in the discussion, to go to bot- 

 tom facts, and when we get through, be considered authority, and that 

 we had not time to discuss all the products of the earth. 



Mr. Harris said that until we had a State Agricultural Society, in fact, 

 as well as in name, we had better discuss potatoes and cabbages, for if 

 we do not, no one else will. 



In closing the discussion, Mr. Gibbs said : 



We use the lerm TwrticuUure, not because it expresses comprehensively and exactly 

 what we mean when we speak of the arts our Soeiety is designed to foster, but be- 

 cause it comes nigher to it than any otlier word we have. Horticulture is the culti- 

 vation of gardens. A garden is an inclosed place, devoted to the cultivation of 

 herbs, plants, flowers, vegetables, or fruits, one or all. We have the idea embraced ' 

 in the word from the habit of ancient pastoral nations of inclosing small places for 

 domestic gardening, while the whole country outside was left open for the range of 

 their flocks and herds, from which they derived their principal means of existence. 

 The name we have from the Romans— from hori%bs, a garden. In the American sense, 

 an orchard is not a garden, neither is it horticultural, strictly speaking, unless 

 inclosed so that it may be called a tree garden ; yet as orcharding as an art gener- 

 ally practiced in this country, entirely separate from gardens, is the most extensive 

 branch of industry in which our Society is interested, and as its own name includes 

 nothing else, we place it under the general term, horticulture, as an accommodation. 

 I speak of this to show that in drawing the line between agriculture and horticul- 

 ture, we must not undertake to draw it too straight or arbitrary, lest by so doing we 

 shut out from our horticultural inclosure our uninclosed orchards. I suppose the 

 real question *is whether we should enlarge or restrict our range of topics. If we 

 retain our name, consistency requires us to give free scope to all gardening, and 

 necessity obliges us to retain all there is of orcharding. We cannot afford to be 

 merely iwmologicaX, for there is not at present enough of fruit culture to occupy our- 

 attention and secure sufflcient popular interest in our Society, and for the further 

 and conclusive reason that il would exclude, besides all there is of kitchen or market 

 gardening, the flowers and ornamental plants which are the fringe and perfume of 

 our whole business. 



Now then where shall we draw the line i In reference to exhibitions and premium 

 lists, to suit our conditions here in Minnesota, I would say, draAv it so as to include 

 all orchards and all gardens, fruit gardens, flower gardens, vegetable gardens, seed 

 gardens, herb and plant gardens, and as many of the leading products of our farms 

 as can be conveniently exhibited at our meetings and brought within our means. 

 The tables were spread according to this plan at the fail meeting of this Society last 

 September, at Lake City. Grains and vegetables were invited and brought in^ and 

 the farmers who contributed them were made to feel at home in the Society, whether- 



