86 : ANNUAL REPORT. 
oka 
many and other nations soon following in the good work. The first and oldest mi f 
society in. the United States is claimed by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. 
They célebrated their fiftieth birthday December 21st, 1877, and at the time 
of that celebration, three of its originators were still living, to wit: David 
Landreth, the well known seed man, and Jeremiah and Moses Brown. May not 
these men well be classed among the fathers of horticulture in America, and* 
should we not honor and respect them for the good they have accomplished ? 
Can they not look back with pride upon the advance in horticulture in all its 
branches in the last half century, and see the improvements, the new varieties 
of fruits, flowers and vegetables, that have taken place in the last fifty years, 
many of them under their observation and through their aid and assistance, and 
the benefit that society has been, not only to the state of Pennsylvania, but to 
the United States and the world? 
Now, when we remember that since the formation of the societies above named, 
and with their aid and assistance, and with the aid and assistance of the many 
hundreds of societies since formed, there has been more advancement in horti- 
culture, horticultural implements and knowledge among the masses, and the 
improvement of old varieties and the introduction of new, rare, and before 
unknown varieties of fruits, flowers and vegetables, in the last fifty years than in 
the two thousand years previous. Now, when we look upon the past, and see 
what has been accomplished in the last fifty years under the many difficulties 
they had to contend with; and when we take into consideration the advantages 
we now have; the facilities of correspondence and the experience of the best and 
most eminent horticulturists; the abundance of horticultural reading, books and 
periodicals; the cheapness, and facility of obtainimg new and rare plants and 
seeds from all parts of the world; our system of railroads, steamships and 
express companies and mails, all aiding us, together with the number of horticul- 
tural and agricultural societies in all parts of the Umted States and most of the 
civilized world, shall we not look with hope at the future of horticulture? Can 
we not take hold and work with courage and with a reasonable expectation that 
if we do our whole duty we shall see much greater progress in the future than in 
the past; and may we not confidently expect to see many new and choice fruits 
raised in Minnesota, and in abundance to supply all the wants of her citizens, so 
that we may have enough and to spare? Shall we not take hold with a will and 
with courage to work for the best interest of our society, our state and her 
citizens ? 
Horticulture is a study, always fresh, always presenting something new to 
admire. The book of nature is always open for us to read, and the God of 
nature is always ready and willing to show new beauties and new and rare 
species to the willing and attentive student; and we find our oldest and ablest 
horticulturists still as close students and as eager after kuowledge as the new be- 
ginner. Men like the iate Thos. Rivers, are as earnest as ever in the search of its 
hidden mysteries. In fact the pleasures of horticulture and the desire to acquire 
a more perfect knowledge seems to grow with our old age. When once 
fairly enlisted in the cause nothing seems to dampen our ardor and zeal in the 
good work. Neither age nor infirmities, cold winters, early or late frosts, will 
alrive us from our chosen profession. ; 
Now as we are in our infancy, only eleven (11) years last October since the first 
attempt at an organization in our State, and five (5) years since we commenced 
work under our present constitution, may we not hope, before we have attained 
eur fiftieth birthday as a society, that we may accomplish much for our state. If 
