114 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Of Ihe men with a wide-world reputation, active in the earlier 

 years to which I refer, with whom I can claim some personal ac- 

 quaintance, I can name none now remaining in the world but P. 

 Barry, J. J. Thomas and our own S. L. Goodale. Of our great and 

 good teachers, Charles Downing and Marshall P. Wilder, I would on 

 this occasion give you words expressive of my appreciation of their 

 individual characters and their acquittal of assumed obligations in 

 life's mission, but my impulse is checked by inability to express a 

 tythe of what I feel. Their contributions to the well-being of the 

 race are rarely, if ever, excelled in individual endeavor at any era 

 in man's history. Each in a life well extended through careful com- 

 pliance with physical laws — each in early life devoted to a special 

 pursuit of vast impoitance to mankind — each lived to accomplish 

 that for which we, with a united humanity, will hold them in perpetual 

 remembrance. It was my privilege to receive favors from their hands ; 

 and no gentleman was more prompt and painstaking in private cor- 

 respondence than they were. It was once naively remarked of Mr. 

 Wilder that "wherever he steps, flowers bloom around him; and 

 whenever we meet him, his hands are full of richest fruits " 



In and through their unselfish works in disseminating life-giving 

 fruits, these model men builded wisely and well their homes, and 

 planted their choicest fruits in that real ayid perfect world — separated 

 onlv by a vail from this — where they may enjoy without limit, where 

 blight and insect pest may never enter. We miss them here, and 

 where will be found those worthy to take their places? 



Foxcroft. 



