1898.] ANNUAL REUNION. 171 



President, been trying for the last twenty years to inculcate on 

 the fanners and horticulturists the fact that they can, if they 

 will, have the resources which nature has placed at their dispo- 

 sal for the cultivation of the soil. 



The Toastmaster. — I have a letter from the oldest member of 

 the society, one of the original charter members, Mr. Hathaway, 

 who is unable to be present on account of ill-health. I am 

 sorry that I have not time to read it but I will give it to the 

 secretary for publication. 



Enfield, Conn., March 1st, 1898. 

 Obadiah B. Hadwen, Esq., 



President Worcester County Horticultural Society : 

 My Dear Sir: — It is with exceeding great regret that I find 

 myself compelled by reason of lumbago (not plumbago) in the 

 back (that prevents me from walking upright righteously), to 

 decline your kind invitation to attend the annual banquet of your 

 Society, and to answer to a promised call of your venerable toast- 

 master, who shows no visible signs of any cruelty of the heart, 

 though he makes hearts to tremble if he " doth but carelessly 

 nod at them," but I tender you a few suggestions, which if you 

 think worthy and time will permit you can have offered there as 

 from an antideluvian of a former age, one of the {qw, I believe 

 but two, of the charter members, the one-dollar disciples of this 

 association, who were in at its birth, H. H. Chamberlin being the 

 other. Again you gather within the hallowed shrine of memories 

 sweet of bygone time. From the walls they look down upon you 

 with benignant smiles of welcome. The leaders and the beloved 

 comrades of the foregone. The "living present" is wreathed 

 with garlands beautiful culled from the gardens of the past, 

 sweet scented with memory's enduring fragrance — of fathers and 

 mothers, sisters and brothers, who now cultivate the immortels, 

 where flowers fade not, in the garden of the Lord. Mingling 

 here with the white chrysanthemums of the silver tops are the 

 full blown roses of womanhood, the blushing buds of girlhood 

 and of young manhood, wearing the dudish boutonniere of pride 

 stuck in their buttonholes ! 



Perchance our venerable, long-loved President speaks his 

 words of welcome to thee and thou, but alas ! not to me. Wis- 

 dom, wit and eloquence flash their thoughts from lips of 

 eloquence touched with the fire of the gods. On a subject of 

 deep interest a few thoughts may not be inappropriate. 



