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The intrinsic value to California of this floral future lies in the utiliza- 

 tion of her broad uncultivated acres and the general prosperous indepen- 

 dence of her people; for in Flora's dominion, unlike any other, there is 

 work, health, and happiness for every man, woman, and child. 



None of the horticultural industries of California can be fully developed 

 until we have located in our State a great and perhaps national botanical 

 garden, in the grounds and conservatories of which there could be collected 

 the florals, both useful and ornamental, from the various portions of the 

 earth. It should be a national school to which all could go and drink to 

 the fill of accumulated knowledge, and should be free to all. 



How shall we hasten this cultural magnificence which is waiting to 

 transform our State into a fairer picture than poet's pen has ever traced ? 

 " By scattering seeds of flowers by the wayside everywhere," by scattering 

 seeds of floral love in the hearts of our children, by embowering our homes 

 in fragrant flowers, by voting to line the highways with trees and shrubs, 

 and by freely disseminating such knowledge as we may possess or acquire, 

 that others may be encouraged to love and cultivate the flowers, the crown- 

 ing glory of California. 



In conclusion I will say, that it is hoped that we will find it expedient 

 to have assembled in the spring or a year hence a grand floral congress in 

 San Francisco, that will attract people from all over the country to see our 

 remarkable floral products, and hear our own floriculturists discourse, as 

 well as noted floriculturists from several portions of the United States, and 

 we ask that you earnestly cooperate with us in all that pertains to the 

 developing of this important industry in California. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. W. W. Smith: Reference has been made to the productiveness of 

 everything in this State; now florists know how very difficult it is to get 

 seeds of the double petunia; they are only produced by the most scientific 

 seed growers, and then the double ones are fertilized by the pollen of the 

 single ones by the very difficult process of putting the pollen of the single 

 one on to the double one with a very fine camel's hair brush. You send 

 to James Vick, or to any other florist, for the double petunia, and for half 

 a dollar you will get three or four seeds. My wife sent to Mr. Vick for 

 seeds of the double petunia and she got four seeds for 50 cents; she planted 

 them and they all grew, and from them she got a fine lot of seed without 

 any fertilization. I make this statement in order to confirm what the 

 gentleman referred to in regard to the productiveness of most fruits, plants, 

 and flowers in our State. 



Mr. Booth: So far as producing the seed of the double petunia, it is 

 no more difficult to produce that seed than almost any other seed of double 

 plants; it simply requires to be done artificially, by the same process that 

 bees and insects produce by the scattering of the pollen. There are very 

 few plants that we can get double seeds from double plants; for instance, 

 in the begonia family, you can get seed of the semi-double, but you can 

 get no seed whatever from any really double plant; they have all got to 

 be done artificially, just the same way as the bees and flies make it in 

 nature. 



Mr. Smith: Why is it that the seed of that flower is so very high, if they 

 are so easily raised? 



Mr. Booth: Simply because there are so few people who understand 

 the theory, and can produce it. 



Mr. Parker: I have been very much interested in the essay read here. 

 I think it is a grand production, and I think one matter we cannot pay too 



