22 CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE ACADEMY. 



that the founding of the Berlin University in the time of national peril made new Prussia the 

 strength and glory of science and of truth in Europe. 



I see a venerable gentleman, said the Chairman, who, take it all in all, has done 

 more for horticulture and agriculture than any other man in this country, and who 

 now represents at this table the Historic, Genealogical Society, — the Hon. Maeshall 

 P. Wilder. I am unwilling to deprive him of the opportunity of speaking, and us 

 the opportunity and pleasure of hearing a word from him at this time. Mr. Wilder 

 spoke as follows : 



Mr 



my 



been more surprised than I am now that you should have called upon me so early in the ceremonies 

 of this hour. I thank you, sir, from the bottom of my heart, for the very kind manner in which you 

 have introduced me, and I beg to say that it will be a red-letter day in my register that I have been 

 able to be present, after months of confinement, to meet again so many familiar faces with whom I 

 have been long associated. I thank you, sir, most sincerely, for recognizing here the New England 





Historic, GenealdSical 



We 



society over which you so ably preside. But our object is the same ; it is to gather up, record, and 

 perpetuate everything that appertains to the wonderful progress of art, science, and civilization in our 

 day. And this is not, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, this is not the result of chance. No, no ! it is 

 the result of the teachings of such associations as your own, the exercise of the mind, the power of 

 mind over matter, the domination of man over nature, elevating her to the highest purposes of crea- 

 tion. I thank you for referring to me as you have in connection with the great industrial pursuits 

 of our land. You do me no more than justice when you say I have been deeply interested in these 

 pursuits. I cannot remember the time, from the day my mother first took me into the garden to 

 help dress and keep it, that I have not loved the cultivation of the soil. I love everything that 

 appertains to rural life and pleasure. And, sir, I have lived, and you have lived, to see wonderful 

 progress in our day in the horticulture and agriculture of our country. When your society was 

 formed there was not an agricultural or horticultural society on this continent ; now they are scat- 

 tered from the Atlantic to the Pacific ; from the Dominion in the North to the Gulf on the South ; 





agricultural 



enrolled : 

 remember 



reduced 



small pittance of a bushel of corn ; look at that product in America now, — fifteen hundred millions 



iy five hundred millions of bushels: and our Western 



crananes 



detain you any longer, except to thank vou for the 



an old man. But, like my friend on the right (Mr. Emerson), with win, in I have been conversing, 



years 



to live to be 



