158 ANNUAL REPORT 



more or less success. There, it is conceded, that the best way to 

 awaken interest in the subject, is to teach it to the children. 



For that purpose, there is a small garden attached to every 

 school house, where it is possible; and about 25 horticulturists 

 are employed to travel in their respective districts giving instruc- 

 tion and laying out and superintending school gardens. The 

 teachers are also instructed in horticulture at the colleges. 



The school gardens have a small nursery from which trees and 

 shrubs are distributed among the children, and each child has a 

 small piece of ground in its especial care. 



This system has already proven successful and I believe some- 

 thing similar would be found beneficial if introduced in this 

 country. 



The state agricultural department also offers premiums for 

 treatises, on the different topics in horticulture, for distribution in 

 pamphlet form amoug the people. 



The greatest drawback to horticulture today, I believe, is the 

 present system of selling nursery stock If the nursery men 

 did not employ any middle men in disposing of their stock, but 

 dealt directly with the consumer, a great deal of evil would be 

 avoided. People get disgusted and refuse to buy after they have 

 had a little experience with tree agents, and I can say from per- 

 sonal experience; that I have not yet been treated fairly by any 

 agent I have dealt with, and as a rule they never show up a second 

 time. 



President Elliot. — If there are any points that have been touched 

 upon by these three papers that you think is worthy of discussion, 

 now is the time to bring them up. 



REMARKS BY MR. SOMERVILLE. 



Mr. Somerville being called upon, said: 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: I am not in the habit 

 of speech-making or talking in public very much. The most I 

 know in regard to horticulture is gathered from my own experi- 

 ence, and from what I have learned by years of practice, and what 

 I have observed in traveling about the country. Perhaps I am an 

 enthusiast in regard to trees. I have always taken great interest 

 in them, and I like to see them around every man's farm. I was 

 out west — just came home a few days ago — and to see the barren 

 prairies in the western part of this state and in Dakota, without a 

 tree set around the houses or around the barns, to afford protection 

 for either man or beast, really caused me to think, at the time, that 

 these people were not good citizens, and I have not changed my 

 mind much since. 



Now, in regard to getting, in some way, before these people the 

 importance of growing timber and doing some true missionary 

 work; in my opinion that would be one of the best key-notes which 



