STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 97 



solid mass of pure white flowers was a thinisf of beauty, a joy for- 

 ever to all who beheld it. 



Flowers, flowers everywhere ; out of place, nowhere- The Cali- 

 forniau knew that his fruit display was rendered much more attrac- 

 tive by the few bright plants he so artistically placed among bis 

 oranges. How cold and barren even the great exhibition would 

 have been without flowers ! As I looked at that formidable engine 

 of wary the enormous Krupp' gun, surrounded on all sides by mis- 

 siles and weapons of warfare— the entire building being filled with 

 them, I was rested to turn from these to the fountains and flowers 

 the artistic Germans knew so well how to place effectively, even 

 among guns and bombshells. 



Columbia can no longer hesitate over her' emblems. Corn, our 

 golden maize was everywhere — booths, pavilions, arches, towers 

 made of corn, whole rooms decorated with it, entire buildings filled 

 with it. Corn was king. As a State we need no other floral 

 emblem than our pine tree, this every child should be taught to love 

 aud honor. For the nation let us 



"Ela/on Columbia's iMTibleni, 

 The bouuteou.s, golden corn." 



"The rose may bloom for England, 



Tlie lily for France unfold ; 

 Ireland may honor the .shamrock. 



Scotland her thistle bold ; 

 But the shield of the Great Kepublic, 



Tlie gloi-y of the West, 

 Shall bear a stalk of tasseled corn — 



Of all our wealth the best ! 

 The arbutus aud the goldonrod 



The heart of the Xortli may cheer ; 

 Aud the mouutaiu laurel for Maryland, 



Its royal clusteis rear ; 

 Aud jessamine aud magnolia 



The crest of the South adorn ; 

 But the wide Re])ublic'.s emblem, 



I? the beauteous goldeu corn." 



The thoughts I would leave with you are these : The study of 

 flowers should be begun in childhood. Such study is of practical 

 value to the individual, to the community, to the nation; to the 

 individual in the development of pure tastes, right habits and ele- 



