74 ANNUAL REPORT 



velopment of horticultural pursuits will become popular and be 

 looked upon with more favor. The cutting off of this department 

 at our Central Station would be a most suicidal policy for the in- 

 terests of horticulture in this State. 



No! no! We as horticulturists cannot and will not submit to 

 any such treatment; we must have a horticultural department and 

 it must not be an insignificant affair either. It should be one of 

 the best equipped and manned at our station. If there is any one 

 particular division in our Central Experiment Station that needs 

 the closest watchfulness for the next few years, it is this depart- 

 ment. 



One of the first questions to be considered is, how much and what 

 facilities should be sought for developing our several special hor- 

 ticultural industries. The superintendent of this department has 

 repeatedly called the attention of individual members to some mat- 

 ters of great importance that need timely looking after by our 

 society, — one of which is the starting of an arboretum. 



In his last report the superintendent hoped for an appropriation 

 sufficient to make a beginning with that class of work, but there 

 was a lack of funds or of interest, on the part of the Board of 

 Regents, so the work is virtually no further towards a beginning 

 than a year ago. There are some other lines of work of not so im- 

 portant a nature that could be laid over for the present and this 

 much needed enterprise undertaken. Every year lost now will be 

 felt more and more as the experiment work progresses, and there 

 should be no delay in giving this very useful feature a prominent 

 position the coming year. This is a class of work that takes years 

 to develope its worth, unlike some others of quicker growth, there- 

 fore it should be commenced at once. 



Another question that relates somewhat to the financial support 

 of the station is this: Shall the various products be sold to par- 

 tially help pay expenses, of production, and in that way be put in 

 competition with our farmers and gardeners? 



I am well aware that in starting any new enterprise of the mag- 

 nitude, and with as many divergent relations and interests as are 

 here represented, all requiring immediate attention, — the question 

 often arises in the minds of those having the direction and distri- 

 bution of the several departments in charge, which are most urgent 

 and require the first care. 



As horticulturists, looking at what our needs are from our par- 

 ticular standpoint, with our preconceived ideas, of course, we can 

 see only the necessity of immediate and prompt action being taken 

 to develop those special lines of work that will give the greatest 

 impetus to the horticultural interests of the state. While on the 

 other hand, there are those of other industries that think their lines 

 of work should have first place. Each are more or less interested 

 in whatever is of value to the others in developing the true pros- 

 perity and success of all the different industries, with all their 

 varied interests, and should work together for the greatest good to 

 the greatest number. 



