THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 65 



tions which the future will consider and which our redirected edu- 

 cation and optimistic spirit of progress will solve. Denmark was 

 once one of the poorest nations on the continent but through asso- 

 ciated effort and the remarkable development of co-operative 

 associations the country has become one of the richest. So will 

 we become prosperous as we utilize the powers of cooperation. 



What has all this to do with the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society? I maintain it has a great deal. The society is to share 

 in this new agriculture which in itself is significant to New England 

 progress. I believe your organization will help push along this 

 redirected education, this combination of science and practice, and 

 help to self help. Especially do I urge that you get in touch with 

 the boys and girls and the young people. There is where the most 

 telling work can be perfected. Perhaps you are familiar with what 

 some cities are doing in the way of school gardens and organization 

 of boys' and girls' clubs. The neighboring city of Worcester is 

 developing one of the most commendable enterprises in the way of 

 training the young which has ever come to my attention. I refer 

 to the Garden City idea with which perhaps you are familiar. 

 From most unruly and wayward children they are developing 

 model citizens. Those in charge have not only given the boys and 

 girls a garden each but they are developing the civic idea. These 

 gardens are located in what was formerly an unsightly spot of the 

 city. The boys and girls elect their city officers, including the 

 mayor, alderman, councilmen, policemen, etc. Instead of the 

 unruly and bothersome individuals they formerly were, they are 

 learning to appreciate law and order, and they themselves are the 

 ones to lift the ideals higher. 



I know of no more worthy work which the Massachusetts Horti- 

 cultural Society could do than to make possible some such enter- 

 prise for the youth of Boston. A report from the department of 

 agriculture at Washington early this year says that information 

 from 395 counties in 28 states, in which boys' and girls' agricultural 

 clubs were organized, showed a membership above 144,000. New 

 York has about 75,000 members, Nebraska 25,000 and one county 

 in Pennsylvania 2000. Think of the tremendous influence on 

 future agriculture that this proper training of so many children 

 means. It is the sort of redirected education for which I plead and 



