Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1853-06-18

Adjourned to half past 7P NJ, at the
Chapel to hear the Annual Address TO be
pronounced by j. Montgomery, Esq.
Evening Session, June 7th.
The Society met at the Chapel, at the
hour specified. The President took the
chair, and called the Society to order A
large audience Of ladies' and gentlemen
were present, to whom the President intro
dLced Mr.. Montgomery, as the orator of the
evening. The following is his address:
ADDRESS.
The task which has devoIved on me, of ad.
dressing the Members of the '' Royal Ha-
waiian Agricultural Society,"" on this, the
4th Anniversary of our assembling togeth-
er, would be attended with considerable en-
barrassment, under any circumstances, and
is rendered still more arduous by the neces-
sity which is imposed en- me, of following
our excellent President, and the two other
distinguished gentlemen, who have, in the
three preceding years Of the existence of
the Society, So ably discharged that duty;
and when | review their addresses and see
how very comprehensive they are, and how
various the topics which they have discuss
ed, am iorcibly impressed with the convic-
ton that the field of operations which is left
open to me, is comparatively Iimite d and cir
cumscribed in IFS extent | shall therefore
be compelled to solicit some indulgence if,
in the course of the remarks | propose 10
submit to your consideration, shall feel
myself unavoidably compelled to refer to,
and perhaps dllate and enlarge upon some oi
the subjects which have already been touch
ed upon by those who have gone before me.
have also fel. some additional embarrass-
ment in undertaking this duty, because, al
though tolerably familiar with the science
and practice of agriculture, and its lovely
and fascinating sister, Horticulture, at whose
shrine have ever been an ardent and i'm
passioned votary, | am compelled to confess
that all my experience in both these pursuits
has been acquired in more northern ATTITUDES,
where winter in rigid form, contributes its
valuable aid TO the labor Of the cultivator,
and that | am in comparative ignorance Of
both the science and practice, as applicable
10 tropical region. But feeling as do,
that in a community, so crcumscribed in
numbers and extent, and so comparatively
in infancy in knowledge Of agriculture, as
this, the land of our adoption, and probably
the permanent home of the majority OF us,
it is the boundea duty Of every individual to
contribute To the utmost extent of his abili-
ties and Of the information he may possess.
to the promotion of the common cause of in-
creasine our national prosperity. by bring
ing to light tie varied resources which boun-
tiful nature has, with no nisgard hand,
placed within reach. Ihave consented to dis
charge a share of that duty, by laying before
you such ideas and suggestions as present
themselves to my mind, and in its execution
must trust to your indulgence to make all
allowance for it's inadequacy.
The great and paramount importance OF
agriculture, as the primary source Of all
wealth, and the basis Of national prosperity,
is SO universally recognized and admitted by
all civilized and enlightened nations, that 1t
is unnecessary for me to expatiaie upon It,
As has been eloquentIy and truthiully said,
by our President, in his excellent address at
the Inauguration of our Society, "Ihe cul-
ture of the soil lies at the bottom Of all cul-
ture, moral, mental and physical" and it is
a truth familiar 10 US all. that where the
treasures Of the soil tie neglected and unex-
plored, there we find the "Savage, whose
untutored mind, rs as lame and neglected
as the forest thro' which he ranges. On the