PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL ADDRESS, 283 



wisely expend money in this direction and abandon our former cus- 

 tom of offering premiums largely monopolized by skilled exhibi- 

 tors. I believe the time spent in spirited discussions over the qual- 

 ities of the Duchess and Wealthy, the merits of which have long 

 been determined, may be more profitably devoted to the interests of 

 the young horticulturists. 



Much is being done for the bo3'S who are to fill the positions in 

 agriculture, and perform the future work of farming. They are be- 

 ing taught what to do and how to do it; more than that, they are 

 learning the principles upon which the science of agriculture and 

 husbandry are based, so that while doing the right thing they will 

 go on studying the book of narture and adding to the general stock 

 of knowledge. 



To some extent and in the same manner, the work of educating 

 girls has been taken up in the agricultural and mechanical schools 

 of the country, and teaching the arts of the home is accomplished by 

 the instructions in the sciences relating thereto. The teachers of 

 domestic science are not content to follow a dull routine of house- 

 hold drudgery in their teachings. They are appealing to the scien- 

 tists and specialists in lines which touch the home life to explain 

 the principles on which home practices should rest, and to show 

 them how intelligence, taste and skill can make the home a pleas- 

 ant place to live in, and how scientific knowledge can enable, the 

 home-seekers to maintain the health and generally promote the 

 physical well being of those committed to their charge. In our 

 branch of agriculture we may well invite, encourage and instruct 

 young ladies to participate more generally along all lines of horti- 

 culture, resulting at least in a higher degree of home adornment. 

 Let us therefore resort to some more practical methods for infusing 

 new blood into our society. 



For several years the question of horticulture in the schools has 

 been discussed pro and con, but largely pro with an "if" or a "but"; 

 the "if" is generally a long one, and the "but" a very stubborn one. 

 It has been insisted that horticulture is of so much practical value 

 and importance that it should be added to our course of study in 

 the common schools, if we had teachers trained to teach the sub- 

 ject. But we should then fail for want of a text book suitable to the 

 capacity of the common pupil. 



It may be that horticulturists, like poets, are born, not trained; or 

 it may be that the science of horticulture is like the science of war, 

 the science not at all like the art itself in practice; one may be the- 

 ory and dress parade, the other down-right hard work; one red tape 

 and the gaudy paraphernalia of pomp and splendor, with glory to 

 him who fighting dies, and fame to him who dares and survives. 



The first old teachers in ancient Greece and Rome had no text 

 books. The first horticulturists never saw a book on plant life or on 

 any subject embraced in the science or practice of horticulture ex- 

 cept the book of nature. Yet the subject, the art of horticulture is 

 an old one, older than any tradition of civilized man. Away back 

 in Noah's time, long before high license or low license was dreamed 

 of, Noah planted a vineyard and made wine, and in the exercise of 

 personal liberty was found in a state of intoxication. He was un- 



