STATE POMOLOGIOAL SOCIETY. 45 



questions, and more than this I believe we should urge our people 

 to spend a little more time to beautify the home. Let me say a 

 word for what is commonly termed the sentimental. I mean love 

 for the beautiful, which I sincerely believe, should be carefully fos- 

 tered and cultivated in our children, as a means to develop charac- 

 ter, tending to positive manhood and womanhood. The love of the 

 beautiful is not mawkish ; it never detracts from, or in any way 

 interferes with the practical or business abilities of a man. It gives 

 rather a genuine meaning to life, more satisfactory because on a 

 higher plane than the mere bread and butter ambition. Have we 

 not as a Society overlooked this phase of the subject too much and 

 expended nearl}' all our efforts in instructing farmers how to make 

 the most morey possible? The farmer who has not mistaken his 

 calling will be mindful of planting ornamental trees, shrubs and 

 vines about his home, and supplement them with a good vegetable 

 and fruit garden. The garden will pay a large per cent on the invest- 

 ment, even from a pecuniary point of view, to those who begrudge 

 the time spent, in making the home, what it should be, a paradise 

 on earth. I should feel well rewarded for my time spent here if I 

 could induce one man to make the resolve and keep to it, that he 

 would think less of adding to his bank surplus and spend more of 

 his time and energj^ in gathering beautiful things about his home, 

 and supplying all the fruits desired, both as a necessity and a lux- 

 ury. Forever groveling as many farmers do, in raising crops which 

 can be turned for cash, has dwarfed the soul, and some have even 

 forgotten that there are higher and nobler things required of them. 



