THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



29 



Lansing, introduced the theme of the 

 evening, by reading a masterly paper on 

 Evolution as scietifically understood. It 

 was exceedingly interesting and was re- 

 ceived with the most profound attention. 

 After much hand-shaking and familiar 

 congratulation, the first session of the 

 society was brought to a close. The 

 succeeding sessions were very admira- 

 bly opened by delightful singing by 

 the pupils of the High School, who 

 came into the room en mass bringing 

 their organ with them, and under the 

 efficient leadership of Superintendent 

 Gass, M.A., it was really very inspiring 

 to hear those well trained young peo- 

 ple sing so finely Longfellow's beautiful 

 but earnest words : 



" Life is earnest, life is real, 

 And the grave is not its goal ; 



Dust thou art, to dust returuest, 

 Was not written of the sold." 



The reading of the Scriptures and 

 prayer was then done by one of the 

 city clergy. This was really a fine 

 opening for a fruit meeting and worthy 

 of the highest commendation. The 

 various topics brought up for discussion 

 were introduced by a well written paper 

 by a person previously notified and 

 announced. After the readings the 

 discussions were full, free and in the 

 most friendly and agreeable tone, appar- 

 ently no selfish ends or objects ruling. 

 Indeed I may say, with great satisfac- 

 tion, that the tone of all the sessions 

 was one of extreme tenderness, and the 

 interest in the meeting was constant 

 and unabating. The presence, at the 

 various sessions, of numerous ladies of 

 apparently high standing in society 

 added much to the interest and beauty 

 of the meeting, and was a source of 

 encouragement by their timely presence 

 and assistance. The interest these 

 seemed to take in the proceedings 

 was earnest and untiring. In the 

 case of one good lady who had 

 duties to perform that required her 



immediate and motherly care, but was 

 more than a match for the difficulty by 

 bringing her knitting to the meeting 

 with her, and while her nimble fingers 

 were faithfully plying the shining 

 needles in the stitches, her attentive 

 ear and her ever-watchful eye as care- 

 fully and untiringly followed the 

 speakers on the theme of discussion. 

 Oh, Hood ! had you lived to see o\ir 

 day, how much would you have to 

 modify the tone of your famous " Song 

 of the Shirty The final closing session 

 on the evening of the third day was 

 very grand indeed, and the like of it I 

 had never before seen at a fruit meet- 

 ing. I consider it was the finest and 

 fullest exponent of the question, "How 

 to make Horticultural meetings inter- 

 esting to the pnblic V One of Steck's 

 grand concert pianos was brought on 

 the dais, and by the instrumentality of 

 cultured and trained fingers was made 

 to do most excellent service. The meet- 

 ing was publicly announced to be free, 

 and the citizens in great numbers came 

 in and nearly filled the great hall. The 

 programme for tlie evening was well 

 arranged ; short, pithy speeches of not 

 more than five minutes in length by 

 members of the society and distin- 

 guished guests who were present, inter- 

 spersed at frequent intervals by choicest 

 music. The programme was carried 

 out in the happiest manner and with 

 the most cheering results. Secretary 

 Garfield, who is one of those who are 

 ever ready for any work, and who 

 happily always has just the right thing 

 to say in the right time and place, was 

 the very life and soul of the meeting 

 and a large contributor to its success. 

 Altogether these meetings will long be 

 remembered for their friendly associa- 

 tions and for their tender and intei-est- 

 ing tone. 



The lessons to be learned from this 

 interview are : Ist. How to get the 

 popular interest at Horticultural meet- 



