1887 



GLKVN^INGS TN BEE CULTURE. 



953 



me just the information I desired, directing 

 me to get off at the Hrst station, and tele- 

 graph to the friend who had promised to 

 show me tlie greenhouses, teliiiig where 1 

 would be, and at what hour. 1 want to say 

 here, that this trip surprised me as much as 

 some others, to see liow ready wealthy and 

 busy men were to throw aside their business 

 to show me around, and assist me in work- 

 ing up any of these fancies of mine. This 

 friend in Grand Rapids, although he lias 

 over 70 acres devoted to fruits and market- 

 gardens, with six or seven greenhouses, be- 

 sides a store for cut flowers, left his business, 

 procured a horse and carriage, and met me 

 at the depot. As it was after dark, he drove 

 me several miles to the lettuce-greenhouses, 

 got the proprietor to show us through with 

 a lantern, brought me bark to the city, 

 showed me their public buildings and mat- 

 ters of public interest, and refused to accept 

 even what he was out of pocket for his ef- 

 forts in assisting an entire stranger. Had I 

 not taken the part of the converted drum- 

 mer, I feel sure 1 should not have had faith 

 enough in my fellow-men to mention my 

 wants on the cars ; and over and over again 

 1 have been glad I took pains to get ac- 

 quainted with those with whom I was trav- 

 eling ; in fact, I can not remember that I 

 liave ever had any reason to regret having 

 formed acquaintances while traveling. I 

 suppose, of course, we ought to use judg- 

 ment and wisdom in deciding whom to ap- 

 proach in this way. 



Well, the sight that met my gaze in that 

 greenhouse was worth to me the whole trip 

 to the State of Michigan. The plants were 

 the briglitest and thriftiest of any thing in 

 the vegetable or floral kingdom I had ever 

 beheld. They were all exactly alike. The 

 great bed was covered as if it had been plant- 

 ed with fringed plumes of ostrich-feathers. 

 They were not exactly white, but of a beau- 

 tiful creamy whiteness. The stalks were 

 white and crisp. Other beds and other 

 greenhouses showed the beautiful new vari- 

 ety of lettuce in every stage of growth, from 

 the seedling just bursting through the soil, 

 to the plants just ready for market. The 

 owner of the greenhouses was an entire 

 stranger to me ; furthermore, I knew he 

 was averse to letting strangers get hold of 

 tlie new lettuce. lie had brought it to its 

 present state of perfection by many years of 

 careful selection and study. The plant is 

 not only specially adapted to greenhouse 

 culture, but it is a rapid grower, free from 

 rot, and handsomer than any thing the 

 world has seen heretofore. Ite was very 

 kind and obliging, and he reluctantly con- 

 sented to sell me a few plants. When I 

 wanted to know if he would let me have 

 some of the seed, there was evidently a con- 

 flict between his'generous and obliging na- 

 ture, and his preference to keep the business 

 in his own hands. T saw it, and frankly 

 told him he need not let me have any of the 

 seed or plants unless he chose. I mentioned 

 that I would willingly pay him a large price 

 for even a few seeds ; but as that would 

 very soon give me opportunities for raising 

 seed for myself, he preferred not to do it. 

 He said he had already refused a consider- 



able sum for even a few seeds. Now, I was 

 so much in love with that lettuce that I 

 felt almost determined to have some plants 

 or seeds to raise in my own greenhouse ; but 

 could I as a Christian, or even as a gentle- 

 man, insist on it when he preferred not to 

 sell any V ''Render unto Cajsar the things 

 that are Caesar's, and unto God the things 

 that are God's." The tussle with the al- 

 mighty dollar came up before me, and my 

 little prayer of " Lord, help," came up. Yes, 

 and an addition to it came up in tliis wise : 

 "■ Lord, lielp thy servant to do in this matter 

 as in all others, as becometh one who is 

 constantly teaching others to do all for the 

 lionor and glory of God." 



This friend supplies seed or plants to the 

 greenhouses around Grand Rapids, wlio 

 raise his kind of lettuce, and so they have 

 succeeded in keeping this industry among 

 themselves. Some miglit call it a little ring 

 in the lettuce business ; but, my friends, is 

 tliere any thing wrong in such a ring, if 

 those who own the seed and own the business 

 choose to form such a one V May God 

 help me to be careful about accusing people 

 of forming rings ; and I really believe of 

 late I am beginning to be a little suspicious 

 of those people who are ready to accuse 

 others of having rings. My friend consent- 

 ed to sell me as muclj of the lettuce as I 

 wanted, but he preferred I should not grow 

 it. Even with honest intentions, somebody 

 might steal one or more of my plants, and 

 pretty soon the seed would become pub- 

 lic property. If it were mine, as you well 

 know, it would be public property at once ; 

 for I have other avenues through which 

 money comes. Self whispered, during the 

 talk, that I could take some of the leaves or 

 heavy stalks of the lettuce and make them 

 take root in sand, as greenhouse- men do in 

 propagating, and tlius get seed. But sup- 

 pose I did; could I ever find happiness in tak- 

 ing it in this way, from the good friend who 

 took his lantern and showed me his lifework 

 in his beautiful greenhouses ? Even suppose 

 somebody did get genuine seed by such un- 

 derhanded means, would the world believe 

 such a person, and patronize him V In think- 

 ing it over I feel to rejoice that the world 

 demands, especially of late, that a man be 

 strictly honest. When I can, by permission, 

 make this seed public property, and scatter 

 it among you in five-cent packages, then I 

 will do so and feel happy over it, and not be- 

 fore. When all men arrive at such a point 

 that they will refrain from taking any un- 

 due advantage, even though they have the 

 opportunity, without violating any law, or 

 even without being discovered, then will 

 the millennium be near at hand. I came 

 away happy. I had not got the seeds or 

 plants I longed for, but I had something 

 better — the approving voice in my heart of 

 the great Creator who gave us the lettuce 

 and the bees, and all these things to train to 

 our wants and wishes and notions. 



A few minutes more, and I was almost 

 startled when the agent of one of the great 

 union ticket-offices handed me two silver dol- 

 lars more than I ought to have. I felt glad 

 in my heart, however, to find there was not 

 even the faintest trace of a desire to keep 



