314 ANNUAL REPOKT. 



A Member. Doesn't your Stone's Hardy continue longer in bear, 

 ing than the Ancient Briton? 

 Mr. Hamilton. No, sir, I think not. 



The following paper was placed on file for publication : 



A COMPLETE FARMER'S GARDEN, 

 By John S. Harkis, La Crescent. 



Mr. President and Memiers of the Minnesota State Sortiadhcral Society: — 



Our motto is good fruits of all varieties in abundance for all purposes; an abund- 

 ance of fresh vegetables upon our tables every day in the year ; lovely flowers ta 

 shed their fragrance over the pathway of life. 



While I acknowledge that I am by nature a farmer and in experience and educa- 

 tion a life long gardener, I am convinced that some one has made a mistake in des- 

 ignating me to present to this meeting a paper upon the subject of a Complete 

 Farmer's Garden. I consider it in many respects the most important subject that 

 will engage the attention of our Societ}^, and worthy of being presented by some 

 one more able than myself to make it interesting. It would be a simple* matter to 

 tell you what kind of gardens very many of our Minnesota farmers have, but a 

 laborious and tedious task to map out and describe in detail such a garden as every 

 farmer ought to possess who has cast his lot in this so-called "Farmer's Paradise,'' 

 famous the world over as the beautiful land of "Golden Sheaves" and "Laugh- 

 ing Waters." When we look about us and consider the short period of time that 

 has elapsed since our State was the hunting ground of the savage and the almost 

 boundless pasture of the bison, where the tread of civilization had never encroached, 

 and the hum of business had never been heard, we are led to exclaim, "wonderful 

 marvel of the age." Within half a lifetime it has become dotted with towns and 

 villages, and threaded with railroads and a trail of gold is following back upon 

 each track and being switched off at every station, a tribute from the older 

 "East" and "South" to the excellence of our "No. 1 hard," "sleek Shorthorns," 

 and the prize "butter and cheese" of America. We have scores of farmers who 

 take commendable pride in breeding good blooded horses, and without being jock- 

 eys they are compelled to take the dust from the best of any other state. We have 

 hundreds of stockmen engaged in rearing ihe best cattle, sheep and swine that has 

 ever found its way into any market. We have everything produced within our 

 borders that is needed to get up the grandest exposition and fair, the eye of man 

 ever beheld, and do not fear to come into competition with the world. What more 

 do our farmers need, what greater boon can they ask ? I reply, thousands of them 

 need better homes, not merely a place to shelter their families, but true homes. 

 The farm is the plant that creates or furnishes the life, wealth and power of the 

 world, and the farmer is the commissary who opens up the storehouses of the soil, 

 and gives out the bread to feed the teeming millions of the earth; therefore he is 

 entitled to a home worthy the name. Now, my idea of a true farmer's home is as 

 many broad, fertile acres as can be well tilled without making his life a burden 

 and the life of his wife and children a hateful drudgery; good substantial buildings. 



