HOETICULTTJRAL SOCIETY. 297 



day the real strength of agricultural education in Massachusetts 

 lies in its fulfilling a need, and in having gained a strong con- 

 stituency among the farmers, by supplying them with what they 

 most needed in the form of young, active, educated men upon 

 the farms of the state, who dignify labor. 



The history of agriculture and horticulture in Minnesota, will 

 vary, in some important respects, from that of the eastern and 

 older states. Minnesota is being developed in the face of com- 

 petition from the older and also the newer states. It is neces- 

 sary to raise here not only large crops, but crops of the best 

 quality, to enable the producer to successfully meet competition 

 and to secure a fair compensation for his labors. The people of 

 Minnesota are progressive and active and will not be satisfied 

 with anything but the best in each class. The farmer wants the 

 best live stock, tools and help. The horticulturist wants the 

 best varieties of fruits, vegetables and flowers. They are not 

 satisfied with any second-rate goods. And so in turn the miller 

 wants the best wheat; the public wants the best fruits, vegetables 

 and flowers, and they will have them. Kot only do they want 

 them in their season, but out of season, and the very best. If 

 they can not obtain them in the state, they send for them east, 

 south or west. As the wealth, refinement and intelligence 

 of the people increase, so must the demand for these products in- 

 crease, and the willingness of the people to pay a fair price for 

 the best. There will always be a call for second or third class 

 goods, but as the grade of the first improves, so must the second 

 and third, in turn. But second or third rate products often re- 

 quire nearly the same amount of labor as first, and the only dif- 

 ference in production may be the application of intelligence, 

 while the difference in remuneration is that the first generally 

 gives fifty per cent more profit than the second, or else it yields 

 a profit while the second is sold at a loss. I might cite many in- 

 stances where brains paid better than brawn in horticultural 

 pursuits; but you are doubtless familiar with many such in- 

 stances. 



To-day there is great competition in every branch of business. 

 Once horticulture Vas considered the essence of refined farming. 

 It has now become subdivided into many branches. The whole 

 field of horticulture was found to be too large for any one man 

 to excel in as a whole, and we now have such subdivisions and 

 hear such terms as the small fruit grower, the grape grower, let- 

 tuce grower, rose grower, the grower of aster seed, grower of 

 Vol. IV— 38. 



