GETTING AN EDUCATION.
A new correspondent claims a place
in the Magazine. It is hoped that the
modesty of the proprietor will not prevent him from admitting this one communication.

In the summer of the year 1882 the
writer received a letter from some one
in south-eastern Pennsylvania. He described his circumstances, stating that
he was married, had two children, and
was successfully engaged in business.
He had formerly seen hard times and
had been unable to get as good an education as he desired. At that time he
could raise the money, but would it pay
to go 700 miles, leaving family and business, to pursue a course of study? The
writer encouraged the young man, and
assured him that he had never seen a
case where a person was sorry that he
had too much learning. A knowledge
of the sciences, as now studied in our
best colleges, is a source of perpetual delight to every one who successfully pursues a good course. The encouraging letter brought the young man, who came
on to try his hand for a term or two.
It was a long time since he had been in
the habit of studying books. It looked
rather discouraging for a time. He had
to work hard to learn a little. Knowledge came slowly. He missed a good
early training in school. But grit did
not give out. With a little study came
strength and the power to control his
mind. He began to feel his power and
to realize that he was growing in intellect. Study after study was made up by
courses of reading, by extra hours spent
in the Laboratories. He was permitted
to select some of his studies, which were
different from those marked out in the
agricultural course. His business often
kept him out for a part of the term, and
one term a year was omitted for three
years. Besides, he transacted a good
deal of business while he was studying
at the college. In the spring of 1886 he
returned again, with the prospect of
completing a course during the year.
He had omitted some of the mathematics
and taken some other studies in their
place, choosing considerable extra botany, entomology and chemistry.

At the last commencement of the
Michigan Agricultural College he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of


Science, and was as strong a man as any
in his class. His wife and brother were
here to see him take the "sheep-skin."

The writer predicts that in the near
future the subscribers of the FLORAL
MAGAZINE will see some marked improvements, and that in other respects
he will make his mark in some department of horticulture. His thirst for
knowledge is still unquenched. He is
still intending to pursue some favorite
lines of study and investigation.

Whether the young man thinks the
course of study worth all it cost him, in
sacrificing some part of his business, in
absence from home, in spending time
and money, let him tell, for he is the
proprietor of G. W. PARK'S FLORAL
MAGAZINE.
One of his teachers.
W. J. Beal.