' HOKTKTLTTIIAL MEETINGS 105 



ORNAMENTALS. 



Minnesota- is drifting away from the pioneer stage and now active 

 florist societies are being formed. Yearr^ ago the peony had a struggle 

 for recognition, but now it is at the front, for both soil and climate are 

 congenial. 



The iris is the coming flower. It is such a drouth and cold resist- 

 ant and succeeds so admirably and is of such radiant beauty its charms 

 are irresistible. It is hard to break the ice and get people to recognize 

 their value. But the lovers of the beautiful are waking up, and the call 

 tor them is growing. There is room for millions of them. One firm is 

 selling 30,000 a year and expects soon to dispose of 100,000. 



Some largo firms are dropping fruit trees and taking up ornamen- 

 tals, for the demand is growing. Eastern flcriots are flooding the land 

 with attractive literature and reaping thousands of dollar.3 which westorn 

 growers should have. 



HORTICULTURAL MEETINGS HELD BY NEBRASKA STATE HORTI- 

 CULTURAL SOCIETY AND HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT 

 OF UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, FEBRUARY, 1913. 



On February 17, the first meeting was held at Florence, Nebraska. 

 There was a large attendance, owing in part to the fact that the Local 

 Fruit Growers' Association of that place met the same day. After a short 

 business session of the association, Mr. H. Nelson, the association man- 

 ager, gave a short address, pointing out the possibilities of fruit growing 

 and the necessity for better methods. Mr. C. G. Marshall, secretary of 

 the State Horticultural Society, discussed the spraying of both trees and 

 small fruits, and Mr. J. R. Cooper, assistant horticulturist of the State 

 University, discussed pruning and general cultural methods for tree, vine 

 and small fruits. A keen interest was shown throughout the discussion 

 which was followed by talks by local fruit growers. 



February 18 the institute was held at Nebraska City. No arrange- 

 ments had been made by the local management so the meeting was held 

 in the court house. The attendance was small because of the fact that 

 the meeting had not been well advertised, but those present took great 

 interest in the meeting. Mr. J. R. Cooper discussed pruning, spraying, 

 and general cultural methods, illustrating his talk with charts. Mr. C. 

 G. Marshall and Mr. Chas. Dickinson discussed methods and management 

 of fruit growers' associations. 



The meeting at Peru was well attended by fruit growers, state normal 

 students and faculty members, classes being dismissed for the occasion. 

 The same general program was followed as at the previous meetings with 

 the addition of a packing dem.onstration given by Mr. Ray Hesseltine, and 

 a pruning demonstration given by Mr. J. R. Cooper. During these demon- 

 strations the liveliest interest was shown. A number of the faculty 

 armed themselves with saws and assisted in the pruning demonstration. 



