106 ANNUAL EEPOKT 



HORTICULTUEE. 



What does it mean! Webster says, gardening; "The art of 

 'cultivating the garden." Those who follow its pursuits can be 

 truly counted benefactors of mankind. It is an art worthy of 

 the most intelligent research, capable of affording great pleasure 

 to its devotees, and success can only be attained in it by constant 

 care and vigilance. In this, as in other pursuits, only the cau- 

 tious, calculating, painstaking investigator will become eminently 

 successful in a climate like ours. To quote from an essay by G. 

 W. Lawton, of Michigan: "iN'o weariness in fruit growing is 

 tolerated in mind or body if one would succeed; activity in both 

 are prerequisites." 



Passable crops may be raised by those not noted for great in- 

 dustry, but to make a good profitable business it must be con- 

 ducted on business and scientific principles. The success we 

 have attained has been by those who have chosen their location 

 for operation with care, given thought to the preparation of 

 their grounds, made judicious selections of varieties, planted 

 intelligently and given proper jjrotection against drouths, by 

 cultivation, or mulching. The ambition and enthusiasm of one 

 loving his profession will overcome all obstacles and make suc- 

 cess of what would otherwise prove a failure. In some of its 

 departments experiments can be finished in a few weeks or 

 months; in others it is a life work, and in a few it requires the 

 energy and patient toil of successive generations. If it is truly 

 said that "time will accomplish all things;" we can hope and 

 work on, believing that we may yet be able to produce hardy 

 fruits for this vast area of country that has hitherto x)roved so 

 uninviting to horticulturists. 



To those not personally acquainted with experimenting in hor- 

 ticulture it seems an easy thing to grow fine fruits, flowers and 

 vegetables; but the experience of those who have devoted the 

 best part of their lives to this health-giving employment proves 

 it otherwise. 



When I look around upon- these horticulturists with heads 

 whitening with age, and think what results they might have at- 

 tained had they devoted themselves as assiduously to other pur- 

 suits; what opportunities they have lost, what deprivations their 

 families have undergone; when with only discouragements, 

 losses, blighted hopes, failures in the past and utter ruin staring 

 -them in the face, ofttimes without a cent in their pockets, home 



