THIRTY-THIRD BIENNIAL SESSION 
27 
display outside here; and I hope you will inspect them carefully, for by these 
exhibits you can see for yourselves the immense progress that has been made 
as the years have gone by, and especially within the last few years the 
progress that has been made in fruit growing, tree culture and pomology; 
and especially in nut culture, that which has but recently been taken up 
and developed. 
There are many things to talk about at this time and it would be agree- 
able to me to make you a speech were I prepared for it, but I only wish to 
express my hearty appreciation of the kind words spoken and kind ex- 
pressions that have been given here, and all the good-will shown in the 
addresses of welcome and the responses. I assure you they have my 
cordial endorsement, and my heart is with you in all this work. (Applause.) 
President Goodman: It is well, Colonel Brackett, that you are in our 
city, as well as in our hearts. We rejoice that you are with us at the very 
first, of this meeting, and hope that you will be at the very last when we close. 
Vice President Taber: In accordance with the usual custom of the 
Society, it affords me pleasure to announce that the President will now 
read his annual address. 
ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. 
L. A. Goodman, Missouri. 
Some days since, in looking through the Atlantic Monthly, I came across 
a translation from the Indian Mystic, Poet and Schoolmaster, Rabindranath 
Tagore, a little touch of sentiment from that far off land that appealed to 
me in a peculiar way, and it teaches us that while, and when, and where, 
we deal with Nature, we will find her always the same, always at work for 
the purpose of changing, or modifying, or improving, or beautifying, or utiliz- 
ing, everything about us. 
I can do no better than to quote a few lines from this Indian Mystic 
from India, Mr. Tagore, which I commend to your attention, for we have 
much to do with Nature in every way and in every department of Pomolog- 
ical research. 
“The language of Great Nature in the babbling of streams, in the rustling 
of woods, in the murmurs of spring, is never expressed in narrow and clear- 
cut words, but in hints and suggestions; in symbols of pictures and music. 
When Nature, therefore, speaks, she hushes up all our words in our hearts, 
and claims from us an answering music which should be full of the sugges- 
tion of the unutterable.” 
“In the outer world of activity Nature has one aspect, but in our 
hearts — in the inner world — it presents an altogether different picture. 
Take the flower of a plant: However fine and dainty it may look, it is 
pressed to do a great service and its colors and forms are all suited to its 
