University of Horticulture [antikvár]

INTRODUCTIONOne and a quarter century is a signifícant period even in the history of our country. Ali the more so when we think of the numerous events occurred in the course of the past 125 years.Entering the second half of the 19th century the nation hardly came to its senses after the losses in humán life suffered during the War of Independence, glorious even in defeat. The severe wounds were not healed as yet, when enthusiastic patriots started again, with undiminis-hed energy, to shape future. The sword had to be put up, they took up the weapon of science. Thus, the modest but promising precursor of our University was established, too. The various schools for horti-culture functioning since then under different names and at different places were changing and developing along with age and society. They all made efforts throughout to educate specialists, experienced in the theory and practice of horticulture, capable of meeting effective needs. We are indebted to them for having modernized notions and for the fact that, out of the branches of Hungárián horticulture, the production of ornamental plants, grapes, fruits and vegetables made great headway, further for encouraging those interested in acquiring systematically the knowledge and techniques of the profession at advanced levels and in growing numbers, instead of taking them over, as in the past, from the fathers.The years elapsed from the beginning up to the jubilee of today have not been devoid of difficulties.The sky over our country and people was repeatedly clouded by wars, fought for imperalist, foreign interests and senseless objectives, by the world-wide catastrophe of World War I, by the white terror, by the world economic crisis, by fascist madness, and finally by World War II, more devastating than anything before. The red star extinguished in 1919 - the red star of the man - could not give light for long. It was extinguished by violence, by the capitalist enemy, superior in number and forming an alliance against it.