The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-02-20

This is only about twenty-one pc
cent of the superficial area of tn,
State, one half of which does not re
quire the application of commercial
fertilizers to add anything to its pro
ductiveness. In fact, the use of ferti
lizers is unknown to the farmers o
this State. OF the area in cultivation
74,S10 acres, or about nine-tenths o
one per cent, is in orchards, which il
1883 yielded a crop valued at $1,677,
9S5. Thirty-four thousand and eighty
one acres, or about four-tenths of ont
per cent, was in gardens, which pro
duced crop worth 50, 1925.
An indication of the rapidly growing
interest in horticulture in this State
is given III the increase of area devo
ted to orchards and gardens from 1881
to 1888. In orchards it amounted to
81 $50 acres, or about two-tentns o.
one per cent, and in gardens S,79S
acres, or about one-tenth of one per
cent. Nothing marks the settlement
of community more surely than the
increase in the area devoted to horti.
culture. The inevitable tendency OF
every community as it grows older is
to intense cultivation, more thor
ough study of the problem of how to
get the largest returns possible from
the least space. Every acre in Guilt
walton must be made to do its best.
Necessity forces this upon public at
tention, and while this country is too
new to appreciably feel the force of
such influences anywhere, much less
in Texas, yet the close observer will
not fail to discover their operations
here. Each census reveals the fact
that the size OF our farms is growing
smaller. Even here in Texas, where
anything under 16O acres is sneered
at as patch, the average size o. our
farms is growing less every year. AS
population becomes dense horticulture
increases in Importance and is more
generally appreciated.
In the years to come the mission
work which your association and its
subordinate organizations are now
doing, in stimulating investigation
and spreading knowledge upon this
subject, will yield an abundant har-
vest, and millions of people, reared in
homes and sheltered by the trees you
have planted, and rendered more es-
thetic and beautiful by the landscapes
you have made and the flower yards
you have created, will hold you in
grateful remembrance.
We therefore welcome you as the
apostles of calling that shall assist
us in cultivating the true and the
beautiful in the home which moulds
the character into more symmetrical
form, and aids us in the development
of rounded and perfected manhood.
We sincerely hope that this meet
ing will be mutually beneficial and
that it shall serve to strengthen the
bond of union existing between us as
a people, socially and politically, as
citizens of a common country, as we'll
as to stimulate investigation and i'm
prove our knowledge in the special
branch of labor which your society
represents, and thus subserve the
highest end of any meeting and COM
mingling Of American citizens.
By your presence here, we shall
have the benefit of your wisdom and
experience in the discussion and solu-
ton of problems in horticulture OF
special interest to us, and you will be
afforded an opportunity to see some
thing of our State, her public institu-
tions and people, her resources, soil
and climate, and we shall be all the
more gratifed should they inspire
within your breasts those feelings
which moved us when we babe adieu
to the homes of our childhood, and
sought to make for ourselves habi-
tation and place on the fertile plains
and under the genial sunshine of this
beautiful Southland.
The addresses were all heartily ap-
plauded.
Mr.. Evans took occasion to say
that he regretted the absence of Pres
ident Earle, who was detained by
broken bones resulting from being
thrown from his buggy at his summer
residence in Ocean Springs, Miss. He
was quite sure Mr.. Earle, were he
present, would have many good things
to say and enjoy the proceedings Of
the convention and the good work
which they may accomplish. He de-
sired to add, in behalf of the conven-
ton, that all felt assured of and ap-
preciated the hearty welcome ex-
tended to them. He concluded by
explaining that the convention of the
State Forestry association had ap-
pointed the same place and hour for
their assemblage, and introduced DR..
Leslie Waggener, chairman of the
faculty of the State University, who
delivered an address of welcome to
the Arbor Day associations present as
follows:
For the Arbor Day association Hon.
George w. Tyler, state senator of Bell
county, followed in brief, but beauti-
ul off-hand remarks:
HON. GEO. W. TYLER's ADDRESS.
Mr.. President, ladies and gentle
men: The Texas Arbor Day associa-
ton considers it an honor to have