STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETT. 53 



long time, looked upon the absence of the study of botany, physi- 

 ology and their kindred studies from our schools as a matter of 

 regret and more especially, the absence of anything which might 

 enable our young people, the boys and girls of our farms to learn 

 something of the character, the structure and the nature of the 

 plants, the grasses and the trees of our fields and forests. Growino" 

 up in the mid?t of nature's beauties and her grandness, they are as 

 ignorant of them as though they did not exist. "Seeing they do 

 not see, and hearing they do not hear." To this lack of simple 

 study into the hidden processes of nature's work-shop, in which we 

 live, must be laid the general tendency of our boys and girls to 

 leave their farm homes, those homes which must have something of 

 a peculiarly strong and potent character about them, which must 

 have woven into their very centers some subtle force of which tlie 

 world knows but little, because there is constantly going out from 

 them an ever increasing reinforcement to the i-anks of our business 

 men and of those who wield the power of the nation ; reaching like 

 the tendrils of the trailing vine into every avenue of our nature, 

 the center being the farm homes of our nation. 



In order to increase this feeling and put our business on a level 

 with the other industries of our country it becomes necessary to 

 have the means for obtaining accurate information into the hidden 

 processes of nature, for our young people, in school and workshop. 

 As far as the idea has been pushed, the results have been highly 

 satisfactory. The pupils are ready for this new departure and will 

 grasp eagerly any opportunity that may present itself to leavn the 

 mysteries of field and flower. 



So I say to the officers of the Pomological Society, and all others 

 who are interested in this noble work, you are on the right track, 

 let nothing turn you from it, you may meet with opposition from 

 even the very classes your efforts tend to aid, but a decided stand 

 and a constant placing before all, the results of your labors will 

 overcome every opposition and you will have the pleasure of scor- 

 ing, at no distant date, a complete success, and of seeing the teach- 

 ing of the simple, natural sciences a part of the course in every 

 school in our State. 



