THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
331 
MIDSUMMER MEETING OE THE TEXAS 
N UR SERYM EN ’ S AS SOUl AT I ON 
A very interesting program was carried out at the 
midsummer meeting of the Texas Nurserymen’s 
Association, which was held August 3rd, 1915, 
at College Station, Texas. The program was as follows: 
Address of Welcome by Prof. H. Ness, of Texas Ex¬ 
periment Station, College Station, Texas. 
Response to Address of Welcome by Edward W. Knox, 
San Antonio, Texas. 
“The Pecan” by Herman Locke, New Braunfels, Texas. 
“Breeding Trees to Points” by Charles L. Edwards, 
Dallas, Texas. 
“The Relation of the Orchard and Nursery Inspection 
Department to the Nurserymen of Texas, and the Policies 
of the Present Administration” by Prof. Ed. L. Ayers, 
Chief Inspector, Houston, Texas. 
“The Lessons to be Learned From Our Past Season’s 
Trade” by J. R. Mayhew, Waxahachie, Texas. 
“Some Common Insect Pests of the Hackberry and 
Their Control” by Prof. Wilmon Newell, State Entomo¬ 
logist, A. & M. College, College Station, Texas. 
Question Box and General Round Table Discussion of 
Important Subjects opened by 0. K. Phillips, Rockdale, 
Texas. 
The president’s address, report of secretary, election of 
officers and other business matters of the Association will 
come before the regular annual meeting in September. 
The principal event was the report of the committees 
appointed by the Texas Nurseryman’s Association, and 
joined by kindred organizations, to promote a State 
Botanical Garden and Arboretum, John S. Kerr, Sherman, 
Texas, being General Chairman. 
A banquet was served in mess hall to facilitate the 
workers and proved a very happy occasion. 
TEXAS BOTANICAL GARDEN 
Report of Jno. S. Kerr, Chairman of Committees. 
Ladies and Gentlemen:— 
This Botanical Garden Banquet is in the interest of a 
more beautiful Texas, and to make Texas more beautiful 
by the use of native Texas plants. 
The garden spirit seems to be innate in man’s breast. 
The first glimpses we have of man were in connection 
with that garden of pristine glory and splendor, but of 
very unfortunate and sad sequel, the “Garden of Eden. 
The garden love or spirit has been evident in all ages. 
Babylon in the neighborhood of the ill-fated Eden had a 
most wonderful garden. England boasts her Kew Gar¬ 
dens. Boston boasts her Arnold Arboretum, Missouri 
boasts her Shaws’ Botanical Garden. The various 
municipalities throughout the world and especially of 
our own America, are placing great store by, and develop¬ 
ing with great pride, the garden spirit in one form or 
another, until we have many parks and gardens in this, 
our new world, rivaling the garden productions of the 
old world, the garden spirit developing and ripening into 
the science of the garden or landscape architecture. 
The garden spirit is by the expression of our higher 
esthetic tastes and pleasures. The utilitarian spirit has 
prevailed largely in the development of our great state. 
but with the increase ol wealth and education the esthetic 
tastes ol our people arc asserting themselves, hence the 
garden spirit is increasingly apparent. The garden is 
a great molder of our esthetic tastes. 
Our gardens are only partially successful. The prin¬ 
cipal source of our failures is in the fact that we are en¬ 
deavoring to build southwestern gardens with north¬ 
eastern and European materials, because we learned to 
love and admire them and because these are easier to 
obtain than western materials. 
We will be rewarded with successful gardening in 
Texas when we learn to recognize, love and procure 
southwestern plants. This fact is taking firm hold upon 
our garden building. We have already many line south 
western trees and plants and more arc being discovered 
and propagated annually. 
We have a great wealth of ornamental trees, shrubs, 
perennials, annuals, etc., either native or from nearly 
related sections, which, when we have collected them, 
known them, loved them, and properly used them, will 
make our gardens the peer of, if not superior to those of 
the Atlantic and the Pacific sections. 
We are in great need of a State Botanical Garden in 
which we may collect, test, study, propagate, hybridize 
and fully develop the grand array of native plants we 
have, and a State Arboretum where we may do likewise 
for our fine southwestern trees. There is a wide spread 
Interest in this matter, and this is the occasion for this 
enthusiastic gathering of tree and flower lovers. We 
feel that the time is ripe for action. Texas is not a hun¬ 
dred years old yet. We believe from the spirit and 
progress of the present that when Texas is a hundred 
and fifty years old she may boast gardens, or landscape 
adornment, superior to the Atlantic States at two hun¬ 
dred years old. If we do not, it will be because we neg¬ 
lect to collect and use the splendid native flora with which 
Nature has supplied us. 
We want to hear from those present in short, terse 
speeches. And we, your Committee, assembled, will 
welcome propositions from interested parties looking to 
‘the establishment or crystalization of the efforts in behalf 
of this movement. 
There are a number of prospective sites, interested 
municipalities and other organizations. Also there has 
been some effort at getting legislation in favor of this 
movement. Your Chairman and some other members of 
the Committee, have visited Austin in the hope of such 
legislation, but so far nothing tangible has materialized. 
At the same time, we feel that the whole matter is mat¬ 
erializing and will eventually take shape. 
The following addresses were also made: 
Some Requirements of a State Botanical Garden, Dr. 
Ellis, Austin, Texas. 
Benefits to be derived from a Texas Botanical Garden. 
.1. M. Ramsey, Austin, Texas. 
Our Wealth of native Southwestern Trees, Will B. 
Munson, Denison, Texas. 
My Favorite Flower—Five minute voluntary talks by 
dhose present had many happy responses and w ere much 
enjoyed. 
Col. Breckenridge. San Antonio. Texas, who expected 
to address the meeting on “My Appreciation of Texas 
Trees and Flowers” owing to ill health was unable to be 
present. 
