THIRTY-THIRD BIENNIAL SESSION 
21 
ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 
Wm. F. Gude, Washington, D. C. 
I think it behooves me first of all to express my regret that I should be 
so very derelict or careless as to have gotten the impression that this meet- 
ing was at ten instead of nine. It may be interesting, to some of you 
who have not known me, to learn that I am a typical country boy exactly as 
I was brought up, and an early riser the 365 days in the year — not later 
than six, and often five, o’clock, even including Sunday mornings. 
Now I hardly know what I can add to what you have already seen and 
probably heard in the national capital. It would seem that even in walking 
down the street here there could not be anything added to the magnificent 
welcome that meets you in this beautiful city, under her smiling skies and 
the shimmering dome of the Capitol. However, I am here simply to repre- 
sent the business men of Washington, or particularly as a representative of 
the Washington Chamber of Commerce; and we welcome you with open 
hearts, to see all that you can in our city, and your city — because every one 
in this audience is an American citizen and has just as much right in the 
national capital, and to the national capital, as those of us who have the 
very good fortune to live here. And being fortunate enough to reside at 
the national capital and to be in business here, I am not so much interested 
in pomology, but am interested in everything that pertains to agriculture: 
and I believe a good bit of that applies to the fruit growers, and nut growers 
and others. 
And let me impress upon you from experience (probably some of you 
have had the same experience that I have had), that you can buy the best 
books and read them through; they may be scientific, they may be his- 
torical, they may be practical, but there is no lesson so practical as seeing, 
with your own eyes, how things are done; therefore, I think it is peculiarly 
fitting that this organization meets in the national capital. I am glad to see 
that you have a long program, and I hope that you will not hurry away, 
because I want to impress upon you that here in the National Botanic Gar- 
dens you will see actual conditions of growth which will doubtless answer 
some of the questions in your minds. You can there see, with your own 
eyes, how things are grown. And then there is the Arlington Farm, right 
here under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture, you should go 
there, and I feel sure that from the highest official, even the Secretary of 
Agriculture, down to the messengers, they will answer your questions and 
will be glad to give you all the information possible in regard to planting 
and growing and the development of fruit growing, the hybridization of 
plants, or anything that you want to inquire about and learn. Part of your 
time could be very profitably spent at the Arlington Farm, and I trust you 
will be able to visit it. 
Incidentally, Mr. President, I would suggest that the ladies and 
gentlemen who see the public buildings and improvements of this city will 
use their influence with their Congressmen to still further improve our city, 
the people’s city. Explain to your friends what we have done and are doing 
for the people at large, remembering that we have no voice in anything that 
