- 94 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
THREE NOTED HORTICULTURISTS, GIDEON, PLUMB 
AND LOUDON. 
A MEMORIAL ADDRESS. 
“A. J. PHILIPS, WEST SALEM, WIS. 
I feel on this occasion like thanking Mr. Latham and those who helped 
him prepare this program for honoring me by affording an opportunity 
to say something regarding Mr. Gideon, a man whom I always esteemed 
and respected for the work he did for horticulture in the cold north. I have 
felt since coming into this room that it would have been better had I listened 
to and put in practice the advice of my wife on many previous occasions. 
When noticing my name on a program she would say, “Now prepare some- 
thing; write it out; and then you can read what will be a credit to yourself 
and a credit to the subject you are to talk about.” But I confess I am here 
totally dependent as to what I shall say and as to thoughts that shall come 
to me and inspirations I shall receive and have received from the surround- 
ings of this room and the memories of the acquaintance with, and the life 
work of, the men of whom for a few moments I am to speak. 
I have been asked by Mr. Latham to say something on this occasion 
in regard to two of our Wisconsin pioneers who have been called from their 
labors during the past year, who were as much like Mr. Gideon in their work 
and aims as two men could be, Mr. F. W. Loudon, of Janesville, and Mr. J. 
C. Plumb, of Milton. Their work has been along different lines, but it has 
all tended to the same end, something that would be of value to horticulture 
in the northwest. 
I was quite well acquainted with Mr. Gideon as well as with the other 
men I have mentioned. It was my privilege, and I esteemed it an honor, 
when you held your meetings on the old grounds out here in the country, be- 
fore Prof. Porter selected the beautiful new site you now occupy, to conduct 
Mr. Gideon before the society after a somewhat lengthy absence. There 
had been some misunderstanding between Mr. Gideon and the members 
of the society, and Mr. Gideon, like Mr. Plumb and Mr. Loudon, who were 
men noted for being true to their convictions, was true to his convictions, 
and perhaps for some reason Mr. Gideon had not been as cordial to the 
members of the society as they desired him to be. However, he was true to 
his convictions. He thought he was right, and the people at that time knew 
comparatively little of the great work he was doing on those grounds as they 
do now. But they were anxious to have him there at the meeting and ex- 
pressed a desire to take Mr. Gideon into fellowship with the society. Ac- 
cordingly a committee was appointed to go out and confer with him in re- 
gard to the matter. He had brought his wife with him, and the committee 
went out to see him, and when they had reached a conclusion Mr. Peffer 
and myself were sent out to bring them in. As we were from Wisconsin 
it was thought right and proper that we should escort the old people into 
the meeting. Mr. Peffer asked me to introduce them. I am always glad if I 
can say or do anything that will help any one. So we went out to the other 
room, and when ready we went in, and Mr. and Mrs. Gideon followed. I 
do not now remember what I said, but I. know I introduced him and his 
wife to the audience, with a few kind and as well chosen words as I could 
command, There was a recess of fifteen minutes given which was spent in 
