STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 53 



up, while grapes were so green as to be unfit to be shown. The 

 whole number ot enterics in the first department was, fruits, 649; 

 flowers, 68. The awards amounted to, fruits, $349; flowers, $130. 

 An encouraging feature of the exhibition was the number of new 

 exhibitors among the amateurs. There are many serious defects 

 in the premium list; it draws out an endless number of poor, 

 scrawny, unknown varieties, which being mixed in with the good 

 desti'oys the effect of the whole and is a confusion to the viewing 

 committee, and does not give prominence enough to the really 

 good and fine varieties. The only really valuable feature of the 

 exhibition was in the competition upon single varieties. The time 

 has Tirrived for inaugurating reform. We want a premium list 

 that will draw out the greatest competition upon the really good 

 varieties best adapted to this State, and that will clear the tables of 

 the 101 varieties of apples and crabs that have nothing to recom- 

 mend them, only as each counts one in the contest on numbers. 



In concluding my remarks, gentlemen, permit me to once more 

 thank you for the man}' expressions of respect you have shown me 

 in all our past intercourse together, and for the honors you have 

 conferred upon me. While my life is spared my greatest pleasure 

 will be in using my feeble efforts to promote the welfare of this 

 society and the happiness of the people of Minnesota. May all 

 our relations in the future as in the past be fraternal. May we all 

 be able to so far forget ourselves as to be willing to appreciate 

 others and do justice to them. May the progress of horticulture, 

 rural improvement, domestic comfort, and cultivated taste, which 

 is being developed by this society, continue to progress onward 

 until all of our people shall have enough and to spare of this most 

 perfect and useful gift of Divine beneficience to man, fruit, fruit 

 and flowers, forever. 



RESPONSE BY PROF. PORTER. 



Prof. Edward D. Porter, of the College of Agriculture, Univer- 

 sity of Minnesota, responded to the address of President Harris as 

 follows : 



Mr. President and Members of the Minnesota State Horticultural 



Society : 



In behalf of the Regents of the State University, and also in 

 the name of the citizens of Minneapolis, I am happy again to have 



