1864,] president's address. 83 



operatious iu this respect have not been marked with so great an increase of 

 interest and success as could have been wished, owing in part to the unfavorable 

 character of the season, and in part to the absence of several veteran horticul- 

 turists who have been called to other fields of labor, and been prevented from 

 giving that attention to the doings of our Society that it has been their wont in 

 years past to bestow. 



I trust I shall be pardoned if, in this connection, I make use of a very trite 

 observation ; and that is, that in order fully and successfully to attain the 

 objects and fulfill the mission of an association organized in the manner, and 

 for the purposes of our own, concert of action and harmony among its mem- 

 bers is essential. 'Tis the old story of the bundle of rods repeated. With 

 such concert of action and harmony everything can be accomplished — without 

 it all our efforts are comparatively fruitless. And yet as necessary as this is, 

 it is surprising sometimes how small a matter will have the effect to turn the 

 whole current of a person's feelings towards the Society from a tone of friend- 

 ship and kindliness to one of bitterness and rancor: — a failure to procure a 

 premium — an imaginary slight — or a real difference of opinion — all or each 

 may produce an alienation which results in a mutual loss and injury: it 

 deprives the subject of all the advantages of the Association, and they are not 

 a few, and the Association of the benefits of his wisdom and experience. It is 

 not difficult to imagine the disappointment of one who has from early summer 

 watched the growth and development of some favorite Fruit which he has cared 

 for and petted, day by day, fondly imagining that it may fairly challenge all 

 competition, until he has wrought himself up to a conviction of it, when he 

 comes to your tables and finds there are others who have done the same thing — 

 others who have cared for and petted the same varieties of Fruit — perhaps 

 with the same, or in the opinion of some Committee, even greater success. I 

 say it is not difficult to imagine his disappointment ; but it is difiicult to 

 imagine how, for such a cause, any one can stand aloof from the Association, 

 withdraw from it his countenance and support, and deny himself all benefit and 

 advantage of a connection with it. There is a far better and more excellent 

 way to meet such a disappointment : repeat the trial, and be not satisfied with 

 one repetition ; but let it come again and again, until success rewards him, as 

 it is sure to do, by constant effort. Such a course strengthens the contributor, 

 and enlarges the Society's sphere of usefulness. Do we bring here our contri- 

 butions merely and solely to obtain premiums ? Have we no higher purpose — 

 no more worthy object ? If it be so, 'tis certainly but a poor compensation to 

 the Society for the aid and assistance which she has rendered us. Rather let it 

 be said that our higher object is to show to others what may be produced by 

 diligent and careful cultivation, stimulating them to like efforts, and thus to 

 raise the general standard of horticulture. 



The number of new members during the year has been considerably less 

 than in many previous years. This, perhaps, may be attributed to the remark- 

 able accession last year, in part, the field having been pretty thoroughly 

 gleaned, and partly because more exciting topics have engrossed the minds of 



