STATE I'O.MOLOGICAL SOCIETY. I4I 



New England farmer needs to study business methods, and 

 horticulture with its greater intensiveness and variety, will assist 

 very much in testing the business ability of men everywhere 

 should they engage in it. Perishable fruits or vegetables 

 demand active business methods in handling at the right time, 

 while the other farm crops like hay, milk, beef and wood are 

 handled "any old time" as they are staple commodities. Busi- 

 ness methods stand for a large share of success in anything, and 

 it must not be lost sight of on the New England farm. 



Horticulture on the farm has its place, and should not be 

 neglected. It pays for family use if in no other way. Horti- 

 culture on the farm pays for the education of the young. 

 Horticulture on the farm pays, for it keeps the boy there. Hor- 

 ticulture on the farm pays, for it makes the pocket money. 

 Horticulture is education in plant life. For example, grafting, 

 pruning, budding, propagation, rotations, varieties, soils, ferti- 

 lizers, cultivation, etc. ; these and many more can be studied. It 

 is with these and many other advantages that a much broader 

 horizon is attained. Study possibilities and aim high. Horti- 

 culture demands time. Peter Henderson recommends that 

 seven men and three horses should be had to run a market 

 gardening industry of ten acres successfully ; and that when 

 •embarking in such an enterprise a capital of at least $300 per 

 acre is necessary. One thing that ever needs emphasizing is, 

 do not attempt too much. 



It has not been thought advisable nor is it possible to go into 

 other than a general discussion of the subject of "Definiteness 

 in Horticulture" in the short time allotted me. Such subjects 

 as details in small fruit growing and various other vegetable 

 and fruit crops, not to say anything about general floriculture 

 and innumerable other questions of horticultural interests can 

 not be touched upon ; they in themselves would each require 

 ■much time and aflford material worthy of much consideration. 



In closing, I simply desire to say that under modern hus- 

 bandry and methods. I believe that we at present little realize 

 the possibilities of horticulture in its various branches until a 

 definiteness of purpose is put into it. 



