32 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
area in this field of investigation has 
grown wonderfully small compared 
with the area of ignorance of a de¬ 
cade or two ago. Contrast, if you 
will, the days of resin wash and kero¬ 
sene, when the sprays applied did more 
damage than the insects they were 
used against, with the present, when 
miscible oil and soap sprays or water 
charged with the spores of friendly 
fungi are really effective without in¬ 
jury to the plants and we have some 
measure of what we have gained. But, 
alas, this really wonderful store of 
knowledge is not drawn on to the ex¬ 
tent that it should be. 
In Florida today there are numerous 
organizations, born of the hope that 
they may be more or less helpful to 
the people, and whereas there should 
be the fullest co-operation among these 
associations, there is too often instead, 
petty jealousies and dissensions. Is 
it not time that these were banded 
on a common basis of action for the 
public good? Is it not time that petty 
squabbles and jealousies were laid 
aside and the whole welded together 
for the upbuilding of Florida’s great¬ 
est industry? Let us present a united 
front, not primarily for the individual, 
but for the good of Florida’s products 
—knowing that when we have estab¬ 
lished their reputation we have then 
benefited ourselves. For nothing can 
benefit the people as a whole without 
each individual among the people be¬ 
ing benefited as well. We know that 
in co-operation there is much to be 
gained for all concerned, yet we do 
not act on the knowledge. 
Now, do not think that my arraing- 
ment is unduly severe for in a large 
way it is true and let us take this truth 
to ourselves: “We do not do as well 
as we know how to do ” I voice the 
thought of every worker in the ad¬ 
vancement of agricultural knowledge, 
when I say that it is not lack of knowl¬ 
edge, but the lack of application of 
the knowledge that we already have, 
that operates against the greater suc¬ 
cess that might come to us in our 
labors. In coming here for our meet¬ 
ings at this time—each one of us has 
had some object in view, perchance 
to meet our friends, perhaps to gain 
something of knowledge to assist us 
in our work, or maybe to accomplish 
something for the larger good, the ad¬ 
vancement of the horticulture of the 
state. But whatever may be the ob¬ 
ject, let us go back home resolved to 
put to practical use some of the latent 
power that knowledge has given to us 
and by so doing Jim and Jack and Bill 
will come more abundantly into their 
own. 
