21 



haustless mines within the earth ; and a few fitful rays from the 

 bright canopy above may reveal to the imagination innumera- 

 ble worlds of glory. 



Under the influence of these thoughts, I would now say to 

 the Members of the Society which I have the honour to address: 

 While you participate the intellectual and moral stores of Hor- 

 ticulture, you have a two-fold object, worthy of your tenderest 

 solicitude. 



1. It is for you to collect the vegetable treasures of the Old 

 Continents, and enrich with them the glories of our favoured 

 land. 



The correspondence between Mr. Rush the Secretary of the 

 Treasury and our President, now stands upon our records. It 

 invites us, literally, to regale upon the bounties of the wide 

 world ; to look abroad, wherever the banner of the country has 

 been planted, by a Foreign Minister, a Consul, or a Diploma- 

 tick or Commercial Agent; and to ask what we will of the pro- 

 ductions of this ample realm. " Forest trees," I adopt the very 

 words of Mr. Rush, " forest trees, useful for timber; grain; 

 " fruit trees ; vegetables for the table ; esculent roots ; in short, 

 " plants of every description, whether used as food or for pur-- 

 " poses connected with any of the useful arts all will fall 

 " within the scope of the plan proposed."* 



Such cheering smiles the General Government bestows upon 

 that field which it is our privilege to occupy. They thus emu- 

 late the policy of other nations ; and in accordance with this 

 policy, were proper publick grounds provided, either in each 



* The correspondence between Mr. Rush and Dr. Hosack has been pub- 

 lished in the New-York Farmer and Horticultural depository. Vol. I. Art. 34. 

 The quoted passage is in Mr. Rush's Letter, dated May 15, 1827. 



