It is now more than thirty years since I first called the attention of this Society to the great importance of producing fruit from seed, in order to originate and obtain such varieties as might be adapted to the varied climate and sections of our ever-increasing and immense territory. And now, again, in fulfillment of my promise never to cease doing so, I beg to ratify and enforce what I have said in my former addresses.

It has long been known that varieties raised on our own soils, and in our own localities, are generally better suited to our various regions than those from foreign lands; and although we have some varieties from abroad of great excellence and wide adaptation, there are, comparatively, only a few-out of the thousands of foreign kinds which we have proved in the last fifty years, that now remain in general cultivation. This fact is now generally acknowledged, and hence thousands of our pomologists are engaged in this most interesting, beautiful and praiseworthy employment of raising American kinds. Formerly the accessions to our catalogue were from the Old World; now they arc mostly of American origin, and so it will continue to be in future time. These are benefactions not only to our country, but the world. He that originates a new and valuable fruit, suited to general cultivation, is as much a benefactor of mankind as he who discovers a new principle in science which increases the comfort and happiness of our race.

Natural fertilization, as I have told you before, unaided by the hand of man, is as old as creation, but the knowledge of manual fertilization, the ability of man to assist nature in the process of improvement, seems to have been mostly withheld from us until the present age. Wonderful is this fact, but it is not more so than the unlimited extent to which it may be carried by the genius and sagacity of him who would cooperate with nature in this enchanting labor.

Strange, indeed, that this art should have been held in suspense for so many ages, not until our own time to be brought into practical use. But, thanks to the Disposer of all temporal concerns, it has now come as the harbinger of a progress which is to revolutionize and improve the fruits of the earth while time shall last. Thanks, too, to Knight, Herbert, Lindley, Darwin, Gray, and other teachers of later times, for the lessons of wisdom, which have encouraged us to prosecute this most noble work.

The process of fecundation was known far back in the centuries of the past, but not for the production of new and improved varieties of plants. From the days of Pliny to the present time, the custom of suspending the blossoms of the date palm over the trusses of the fruit-bearing trees, was known to be necessary for the production of fruit. So Tournefort and Linnaeus understood the sexual order of plants; but we have no facts to show, so far as I know, that either of these writers had a knowledge that the crossing of different species and varieties would produce from the seed a new variety, which would possess in a greater or less degree the characteristics of the parent plants, and it is doubtful whether Duhamel, Van Mons, or Noisette were acquainted with this wonderful art for the indefinite improvement of our fruits.

This is the art that doth help nature, and great as has been the progress in our time, it is but as the dawn of that day when every section of our varied climes shall be furnished with products of the earth as well adapted to each as the people who inhabit them. How grand the acquisitions of this art in our day ! It is only about fifty years since Mr. Hovey, myself, or other cultivators of our country, attempted the hybridization of fruits or flowers. Now the knowledge of this art is as well understood as the cultivation of the soil. These are the means provided by an all-wise Providence for the improvement of our fruits. Would that Prince, Downing, Brinckle, and those other pioneers who have gone before us, could now witness the amazing advances which have resulted from their labors in this cause. O that I could live to participate a little longer in the glorious harvest which is to be gathered from the influence of this art in improving the fruits of our land. These are benefactions which you will leave for the generations that are to follow you - memorials of your love of nature, of home and kindred, which shall live in the hearts of grateful millions, long after you shall have been sleeping in the dust.

Thus have I spoken for a long course of years of the importance of this branch of our duty. Thus would I preach while life shall last. "Plant the most mature and perfect seeds of the most hardy, vigorous and valuable varieties, and as a shorter process, insuring more certain and happy results, cross and hybridize our finest kinds for still greater excellence." And should my muse be able to reach you from the spirit land, she would, as with telephonic voice, still chant in your ears the same old song, -

Plant the best seeds of every good fruit,

Good fruits to raise, some lands to suit:

Fruits which shall live, their bounties to shed. On millions of souls, when you shall be dead. These are creations that do the world good, Treasures and pleasures, with health in your food : Pleasures which leave in the mem'ry no sting, No grief on the soul, no stain on Time's wing.