1898.] ANNUAL REUNION. 161 



by which they could make a good living and be contented upon 

 the farm? That would be somethino; for New Enfjland. A 

 little celery patch, rhubarb patch, onion or tlower patch is 

 capal)le, as 1 understand it, of enabling the industrious and 

 skilful man to make a good living. The Italian, the Portu- 

 guese, and other foreigners are skilful gardeners and able to 

 earn a ofood living;. 



There is a great work for this Society in making it possible 

 over New England to restore the population, to hold its own, 

 and to hold an important place in the future history of this 

 country. I am glad that I am from New England, I am glad I 

 am from Worcester, and I am glad to be here tonight. I thank 

 you, Mr. Chairman, and I thank you all for your attention, and 

 predict the best things for this society and this line of work 

 that is so strong and confident in this city. 



The Toastmaster. — As a representative from the Rhode 

 Island Agricultural Experiment Station, Professor of Horticul- 

 ture, and a graduate of our agricultural college of Amherst, and 

 what is of still more interest, a Worcester boy and a son of one 

 of our most active members, it is a pleasure to me to introduce 

 to you Professor Kinney of Providence. 



Professor L. F. Kinney. — I cannot do less than thank the 

 toastmaster for giving me a chance to say a word. I should 

 like to say just one thing about the influence which, it seems to 

 me, this Society and the society at Boston are exercising upon 

 the people of Massachusetts. I grew up in Worcester County, 

 and was a regular visitor and occasional exhibitor in this hall in 

 my younger days ; and at that time the fact that the Society was 

 here and in a prosperous condition made very little impression 

 upon me. I enjoyed coming here, and enjoyed the competing 

 and witnessing the exhibits of others, but since then I have 

 been in districts where there were no active horticultural socie- 

 ties, at least not as active as this, and I see what those com- 

 munities are missing. As I reflect upon it, it seems to me that 

 the men who founded this Society deserve a great deal of credit, 

 more credit than I imagine a great many of us are inclined to 



