STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. gS 
it may not have been till 800 years afterwards, at which time it was intro- 
duced into Germauy. 
Rome was then the ‘land of scholars, and the nursery of arms.’’ At one 
time, to have been a Roman citizen, was sufficient guarantee for protection. 
Rome rested quietly on her seven hills, was mistress of the world. Profound 
in her philosophy, eloquent in her oratory, sublime in her poetry, rich in 
genius, great in her statemanship, she stood alone, the admired of all the 
world, without a model, and without a shadow. 
Through the instrumentality of the Romans, the apple was introduced 
over all Europe. And to-day those conntries, wherein the apple is the 
staple fruit, are most thorough in the general diffusion of knowledge. 
Great Britain, and the German Empire to-day, are first among the nations 
of the old world in their institutions of learning, in the supremacy of 
their laws, and in the wisdom of their legislators. Akin to them, as being 
untrameled in their religion, and universal in their system of education, are 
the Scandinavians. In the countries mentioned, the apple is more nearly 
the staple fruit product, together with a part of Russia, than it is in any 
other part of Europe. 
Spain, with a climate and soil admirably adapted to the growth of the 
apple, either because of the abundance of her other fruits, or the natural 
idleness of her people, has never made any effort to develop, or even to- 
raise the apple. And what is she to-day? Almost pauper in her finances, 
bigoted in her religion, treacherous in her friendship, weak in her stateman- 
ship; a fifth-class power, almost forgotten when the nations arbitrate, and 
whose principal amusement is the revolting and bloody pull-fight. But the 
vintages of Spain produce some of the finest of wines. 
Austria, also bigoted in her religion, and trameled in her system of educa- 
tion, is as far behind her sister German Empire, as she is behind her in the 
cultivation of the apple. 
Shall I refer to France, whose wine-clad hills constitute not only the 
pride but the wealth of her peasantry. In all of that country, apples are 
common, but her innumerable vintages causes the flow from her wine 
presses to be more abundant than is milk. And, what of her people? 
Vivacious, fickle, priest-ridden, with an uneducated peasantry, let us wait 
yet a little longer, before we pronounce them capable of self-government. 
But, to-day, where are the orchards that were once so abundant among 
the Romans; Gone; cut down, dug up by the roots, and destroyed forever. 
The glory of Rome has also departed. Her columns and her altars are in 
the dust, yet beautiful in ruin. And she, together with Greece, are hardly 
more than cyphers among the factors of Europe. 
But least it should be said that it is race that elevates, and not what is 
eaten, I propose to visit Japan, which is about in the same latitude of 
Persia. A few words will suffice: The Japanese, notwithstanding that for 
ages their ports had been closed to foreign intercourse and consequently 
they knew but little about the outside world, when their ports were finally 
opened, were found to be the most intelligent people of all Asia. To-day 
no people are more desirous of reaping the benefits of civilization. Like the 
rest of Asia, they are Mongols; unlike the rest of Asia, they desire to 
adopt the habits of the civilized world. They cultivate and eat the apple.. 
But now, having wandered into and out of Eden, and from thence almost. 
