1897.] ANNUAL REUNION. 57 



nudging in that particular will be necessary. I am very glad to meet 

 you, ladies and gentlemen ; I am very proud to be a member of this 

 Society. I am proud to be a member of the second wealthiest Horti- 

 cultural Society in the world ; think of it, you should be very proud 

 of your standing. Now this Society was incorporated and organized 

 when I came to Worcester to live as a boy. A few years ago I did 

 take a few dollars in premiums. For two years 1 have come here 

 without being able to pay for my banquet ticket ; but it is of no use, 

 the President, as the toastmaster says, is authority here and must be 

 obeyed without question. If I read right the first horticultural 

 society was formed in Eden. It bad but one member to begin with, 

 and he was president, secretary and treasurer. This one member was 

 Adam, and finally it was decided to admit ladies to membership. 

 There was some trouble about fruit, and I think it was mean in Adam 

 to say what he did concerning Eve. I was going to ask my friend 

 Dr. Harris to inform me on this question as it is a proper study. I 

 do not think that he had any right to say that to clear himself. I 

 think that it is a mighty mean thing in a man to remark about a 

 woman as he did, and he ought to be ashamed of himself. As 

 they went out to engage in horticulture, going down into the land of 

 Israel, Moses, whom they had engaged as their leader, selected twelve 

 stalwart men to select the land. But they went into the land of 

 Canaan and found there by the brook of Eschol some grapes, and I say 

 that this Society never produced such clusters of grapes as were raised 

 there by the side of that brook. This is a true story, Mr. President; 

 this is no Jonah story. I never have seen one on exhibition that 

 could compete with this. I don't know what would be said of that 

 bunch of grapes which the prophet Amos gathered at the sycamore 

 tree, so that in those olden times we may acknowledge that the grower 

 made more progress in raising grapes. We ought to be quite inter-, 

 ested in the development made by the fruit growers. As you drive 

 through the country and see beautiful flowers by the gate you will 

 know that there are lovely people living within. I beg your pardon 

 for taking so much of your time. 



Mr. Parker. — The Pomological Society of Connecticut is also 

 represented here by Mr. Edwin Hoyt, of New Canaan, Conn. 



Mr. Edwin Hoyt. Mr. President and Friends: — I have met with 

 two surprises, — one when I received the invitation from your hon- 

 ored President to attend the banquet, and the second when your 

 toastmaster called upon me to speak. While I am a horticulturist I 

 am not a speaker. I was not brought up that way, but at the same 



