46 BANQUET TO THE 



worthy and Industrious young man rises, till he is 

 an active member of one of the leading mercantile 

 houses of the country. 



But the love of Nature possesses his soul, and, 

 while not neglecting his business duties, we find 

 him deeply Interested In agricultural and horticul- 

 tural subjects; and thus he Is brought In contact 

 with older men of similar tastes. When a little 

 more than thirty years of age, we see him asso- 

 ciated with Dearborn, Lowell, Story, Everett, and 

 others, engaged In the study and practice of the sci- 

 ence and art of horticulture, and the founders and 

 supporters of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 

 All acknowledge his zeal and wisdom In forwarding 

 the objects of that Society. Soon he Is placed at 

 Its head, and diligently and faithfully guards and pro- 

 motes Its Interests, as Its President, for eight years. 

 During this period the Society attained a much more 

 elevated position than It had ever before reached. He 

 continues, after retiring from office, to be a leading 

 member of the Society, notwithstanding the cares of 

 business and the distractions of political life, which 

 his fellow-citizens insist upon his entering, occupy 

 his attention. A devoted lover of Nature, he will 

 not abandon this love, whatever may be the temp- 

 tations to do so. He is the President of the Ameri- 

 can Pomological Society, which office he has held 

 thirty-four years, and was President of the United 



