CALIFORNIA AVOCADO ASSOCIATION 



39 



effort to impress himself, his feeHngs, and his spirit upon his fellow men. 

 One who had known Judge Silent in earlier years as a busy, absorbed, suc- 

 cessful lawyer, might well have wondered at this expression of his finer 

 nature as a lover of quiet, the country, trees and flowers. His purpose was 

 to impress upon all who came to Rancho del Aliso how great and un- 

 matched were the possibilities of open air life in Southern California. The 

 combination of the beautiful and fruitful brought about by him here never 

 failed to lift every visitor somewhat out of himself. Certainly not in Cali- 

 fornia, and perhaps nowhere can be found such expression of refinement and 

 love of the beautiful worked into practical grove and garden. To under- 

 stand the mass of detail involved in the making of the beauty found there, 

 required not hours, but days of study. The idea of wealth was always 

 subordinate to the idea of pleasure and simplicity. And it may be said 

 that this wonderful thing he carved out, the expression of his inner self, has 

 influenced his neighbors and the thousands who have been fortunate enough 

 to come into contact with it. I believe it was the Judge's greatest pleasure 

 to guide an appreciative friend through his beautiful gardens and over this 

 lovely estate. Here was something he had founded, not alone for himself, 

 but more for others, and it was in sharing their enjoyment of it that he 

 realized his greatest pleasure. It is one of the glories of horticulture that its 

 pursuit may be, and often in practice has been, a matter of unselfish enthusi- 

 asm. In Judge Silent this tradition was well exemplified. His understand- 

 ing of nature and of the manner of working with nature, was of a rare 

 order. And to the keen and understanding eye, the impress of his wonder- 

 ful ability and richness of character upon Rancho del Aliso may be seen 

 copied in varying degree and shading elsewhere in Southern California, 

 perhaps a thousand times. 



The Avocado Association has lost in Judge Silent a member who has 

 long stood high in their regard. But his work is not lost, and the memory 

 remains of a consistently wise, helpful and generous comrade and friend. 



RESOLUTIONS ON THE DEATH OF CHARLES SILENT 



Adopted by the Board of Directors of the California 

 Avocado Association 



It was with feelings of profound sadness and regret that the members 

 of the California Avocado Association learned of the death of Judge 

 Charles Silent, who entered into rest at his home in Los Angeles, California, 

 on December 14th, 1918. 



Judge Silent was a charter member of this Association, a member of 

 its first Board of Directors and served from 191 5 to 191 7 as second Vice- 

 President. 



We mourn the loss of a kindly gentleman, a wise counsellor, a useful 

 experimenter and an earnest student of the avocado. 



Resolved that a copy of this minute be spread upon the records of 

 the Association and be sent to the sorrowing family, and that a photograph 

 of Judge Silent and an appreciation of his life be printed in our Annual 

 Report. 



