ANNUAL WINTER MEETING. 119 



greatly interested in my visit to their horticultural hall, a spacious, at- 

 tractive building, containing two large halls for their flower festivals. 

 The walls were adorned with twelve fine portraits of horticultural presi- 

 dents, beginning with Gen. Dearborn, who was the first to occupy the 

 honorable position of president of the Massachusetts horticultural socie- 

 ty, established in 1829. It is their glory that this society has a library 

 connected with her hall which ranks as one of the foremost five of the 

 world, while its collection of purely horticultural works is by far the 

 finest in existence. 



Among the most valuable in this superb collection is the "Flora 

 Graeca" of Dr. John Sibthorp, a gorgeous work and by far the most 

 costly in the library, the expense of its production being no less than one 

 hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and, as only thirty copies were sold, 

 each cost the estate of Dr. Sibthrop five thousand dollars. I passed a 

 morning of rare delight in looking over this magnificent work, in ten vol- 

 umes, containing one thousand figures of the plants of the Grecian penin- 

 sula and islands, in their natural size and color. 



If the "Flora Graeca" was the most expensive to produce, perhaps the 

 "Flora Danica" is the most remarkable; nor is it possible to imagine any 

 person so indifferent to botany or so uninterested in plants and flowers, 

 that they can look through the eighteen large volumes of this sumptuous 

 work, containing portraits of the plants which grow in the kingdoms of 

 Denmark, Norway and Sweden, without being lost in wonder and de- 

 light. This rare work which graces the shelves of the Boston horticul- 

 tural library is a noble example of scientiflc zeal, having been completed 

 in 1883, one hundred and twenty-two years from its beginning, and cost- 

 ing the highest thought and research of four generations to pursue and 

 complete the marvelous production. 



While wandering about among these attractive works of the Eastern 

 library, I was constantly asking myself what Minnesota could do for the 

 larger developement of her horticultural resources, and what limit of 

 time she would require to put in the foundation stones and rear a credit- 

 able edifice of her own wherein to gather luscious fruits and display floral 

 triumphs indigenous to her fertile soil. 



Though it was not possible to satisfactorily answer this question of my 

 own asking, it brought back to rae an attractive plan which has for a long 

 time animated me with pardonable pride, as I contemplated the possibili- 

 ties of this fair city and state of the West, so inviting in summer climate, 

 so rich in unfeigned hospitality, so resistless in enterprise, so liberal and 

 quick to respond to the upbuilding of all that is worthy to endure. 



To the horticultural society of the state of Minnesota, represented here 

 to-night, I submit and suggest the desirability of a bold pioneer spirit in 

 the domain of floriculture. 



If it be in order for one so recently becoming a member of your honor- 

 able society as I, to introduce a resolution to-night, I move that this 

 society, in emulation of the instructive and charming national rose shows 

 held in the Crystal Palace, England, and in St. James Hall and the horti- 

 cultural gardens in London, for these thirty years past, which have con 

 tributed so largely to the education and delight of the masses of the 

 people, do consider and decide to hold a national rose show in the city of 

 Minneapolis at whatever place and on whatever date they may hereafter 



