54 ANNUAL REPORT 



the privilege of extending you a cordial welcome to these halls and 

 to the homes of the citizens of our city. Minneapolis has a 

 friendly interest in all the societies organized to improve the indus- 

 tries of our noble State, but more especially in this and other 

 meetings here, and in which many of its leading citizens are active 

 workers in the ranks. It is especially gratifying to me, as the 

 head of the Agricultural College, to have these constituencies, that 

 I may meet them here, face to face, at least once a year for advice 

 and counsel in the educational and practical work of the college, 

 particularly in the management of its experimental farm. A room 

 has been fitted up in this building for the use of your society, 

 librarian and committees, and this hall will be at your service for 

 your meetings whenever it shall be your pleasure to hold your 

 meetings here, or so long as you may wish to make the building a 

 place for the safe keeping of your books and property. Again I 

 bid you a cordial welcome and wish you a pleasant and profitable 

 meeting. 



Prof. Porter announced that by reason of the frequent 

 calls upon the chiefs of divisions in the Department of Agriculture 

 at Washington, to go out and lecture before societies in different 

 parts of the country. Commissioner Loriug had issued an order 

 forbidding them to accept such invitations, and that in conse- 

 quence Prof. C. V. Riley would not be able to attend the meetings 

 of either the Horticultural Society or the Farmer's Lecture Course. 



BESPONSE BY PBESIDENT SIAS. 



In behalf of the members of the State Horticultural Society I 

 most heartily thank the President and Faculty of the University 

 for the cordial welcome given us at these halls. We esteem it a 

 great i^rivilege and pleasure to hold our meetings at this place. 

 We are also under renewed obligations to the other citizens of 

 Minneapolis for the cordial welcome to their beautiful city, to their 

 homes and firesides, aud to all of which we say, please accept our 

 hearty thanks. 



We will now proceed with the regular order of business, and will 

 listen to the reading of the secretary's report. 



