The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-11-15

gan its annual meeting with a session
at O'Clock Wednesday afternoon at the
state house. The attendance was not
quite as large as usual there being a
noticeable absence Of members living at
distance from the city. There were
about forty members present and the
meeting started off with mark of in
terest manifested i'm the discussions
which promises a lively meeting during
the three days which it will continue.
The meeting was opened by an ad-
dress by Governor Matthews. He spoke
as follows: Il do not know that the
horticulturists have patron saint, but
they should have one, and, passing back
beyond the days when Greek and Ro-
man mythology peopled the woods and
hills and valleys with the creatures of
their fancy and spread the mantle Of
their poetic imagery over harvest field,
orchard and vineyard, you should
stretch out your hands and place the
crown upon the brow of grand old
Moses.
For ever since he sent his agents into
the land of Canaan to bring back speci-
mems of the fruit of the land horti-
culture as a means Of support, an occu-
patton, a luxury, a comfort and a sci
ence has been growing IN the minds and
the hearts Of the people. Another feat
ure in the life of Moses is like unto that
of the hOrticulturist. He was a bene-
factor to his race and yet, after all his
laborS and sufferingS in behalf of his
people, he was at last only permitted to
end his WanderingS on the top Of Mt.
Nebo, from where he could look beyond
the smiling. fertile valleys along the
brooks of ESchOl into that land to be
| the home of his people. So you often,
through the labOrs of years, reach that
point when the results OF a cherished
success may be denied you and they
who follow after gather the fruit and
revel in the shade of the tree your hand
had planted.
Il regret that my study Of the sub
jects to which you have devoted your
! lives is not such that 1 can hope to give
you thoughts of great value. Nor do l
desire to consume the time in which you.
| as earnest workers and broad-minded
students, have assembled to discuss mat
tiers of Importance 20 you. But, as one
whose life has been identified with and
devoted to agriculture, 1 have long been
an interested observer of your labOrs,
| experiments and successes.
Indeed, as a farmer L have often
| been puzzled. when 1 turned my eyes
from the sunny fields of grain into the
reStful shadows of the orchard as to
horticulture could be drawn. l do not
believe this boundary line could or
should be determined, although I fear
the common idea IS that they are sep
crate callings. Before YOU is a broad,
inviting field and in it splendid mis-
sion for horticulture to perform toward
it's elder sister, agriculture. l know Of
no occupation that can clearly dem
onstrate the possibilities of the ingenuity
Of man as yours, and what perfection
to which it has been brought is due to
you. Through your agency must largely
come the added beauty, comfort and,
indeed, the profit to the country home.
Il wish it We're possible to hold your
meetings in every county of our state,
for / believe that in their train would
follow improvements devOutly to be
wished-the correction of errors and
false ideas that have too long existed.
"Of all our citizens l know of none
that should have more of liberal educa-
ton and of broad culture and should or
could appreciate it more than the Amer
lean farmer, and l embrace the horti-
culturist in this term. No man should
| hold his head more proudly erect in the
midst Of men and reverently in the
sight of God I confidently look forward
to the day when this higher education
will come TO him with its depth of
thought. breadth of culture and its gen.
tie refinement. You Will then see in
him the student and worshiper of ma
ture-the scientist reasoning from cause
to effect, from nature up to God, and APP
plying the acquisitions of science in the
prosecution of his labors-the lover of
art in its truest form. because he brings
| it's elevating influences in and around
his home and thus best solves the veX-
| ing problem as to how to keep our boys
| at home on the farm.
Your occupation is a noble one be-
| cause it viii elevate and better man
kind. | used TO be a frequent attend
ant upon our agricultural meetings.
| especially Of the live stock interest. 1
never attended one of these but that 1
| carried home with me new, fresh and
valuable thoughts. L trust that such
may be your experience i'm This meeting
here today, and in closing permit me to
say that l have such faith I'm your meet
| ings as educators that 1 hope you may
| conclude to hold them in different sec
| tions of our state rather than at one
point alone"
Following the governor, President c.
| NJ Hobbs read his annual address The
past two years, he said, had been I'M
| usually discouraging to fruit-growers
| throughout the state. He had never
| known of two consecutive years when
the crop was so universally a failure.
Even our staple apple did not produce
| n full crop in any part of the state eX-
| cent a small section Of Harrison county
| last year, and it was a complete failure
| in that county this year. He thought
| this was due partly TO early frosts and
partly to the kind of trees planted. Also
| due to insects. He thought that if the
varieties planted should be chosen with
a due regard to their adaptation to the
| climate, soil and situation Embarrassing
| could be made as reliable farming.
| He deplored the fact that farmers in
general did not pay more attention to
| the cultivation of fruit and recommend
| ed that the society should take some
| action in regard TO the planting Of fruit
| and nut trees along the highways
throughout the state.
This recommendation was discussed
pro and con with considerable anima-
ton, and it was finally decided by vote
| that it was the sense of the society that
such a thing should be done by the
farmers.
The secretarys report dwelt chiefly on
his work at the worlds fair, where the
exhibit of the Indiana horticultural So
ciety was all in that line which was eX
hibited from this state. Experimental
stations. he said, were largely super
seding the work of such societies as
this and would continue to do so more
and more.
The treasurer's report was as follows:
Total receipts for the year. $1,5964S dis
bursements $6S697; balance in treasury,
end of fiscal year ending Oct. 81, 1893,
$9O9.51.
During the afternoon a paper entitled,
Edible Fungi-A Great Waste of Vege-
table Food in Indiana" was read by
Lucien NJ. Underwood Of Greencastle.
The meeting OF the Indiana horticul-
tural society continued all day Thursday
and was well attended, number of
members arriving after the meeting on