STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 149 



referred to spontaneous generation, a lady in the audience, who 

 was closely following him in his treatment of the theme, trans- 

 fixed him so completely with her wrapt attention as to arrest his 

 mental flight and bring his remarks to an abrupt termination. 



We found the State Agricultural and the State Horticultural 

 Societies sitting in joint convention at Madison, and we were cor- 

 dially received and hospitably entertained. The farmers were the 

 most numerous, and had the most to say, but the fruit men had 

 the best exhibition. In fact, we saw no grains, vegetables, or 

 other farm or garden products at the meeting. Most of the farm 

 taliv was upon the dairy, the wool growing aud the cattle breeding 

 interests; but it was meaty talk in more senses than one — the 

 speeches of men who had something to say and knew how to say 

 it well. We were impressed by the ability and dignified appear- 

 ance of these Wisconsin farmers and horticulturists, and picked 

 out among them a score of men who would dignify the governor's 

 chair, or the halls of either house of Congress if placed there. Not 

 a word of '"spouting" did we hear in the entire week; all solid, 

 business-like speaking for the advancement of the industries of the 

 soil. 



Our mission there was principally to secure further reciprocities 

 between the two States and societies in horticultural work. We 

 proposed and were accorded an agreement to compete for premi- 

 ums in each others exhibitions, on equal terms; that is to say, 

 when we in Minnesota offer premiums on particular varieties 

 grown here, they, if they have these varieties, may come in with 

 us. On the other hand, we can compete in their exhibitions on 

 an,y sorts in their list. In pursuance of this agreemfiiit, they 

 awarded the first premium on a plate of Wealthies we took down, 

 and several other premiums to our collection. They also agreed 

 to iurnish our society with forty copies of the report, annually, in 

 exchange for the same number of ours. 



The best results of our visit there you may not be able to 

 identify, and need not be particularly mentioned. They will be 

 scattered through the proceedings of this, aud perhaps future 

 proceedings of our Society, and in the Secretary's portfolio, and 

 will come from the extension of acquaintances with horticultural 

 writers and speakers, and the increase of knowledge obtained. 

 Were it not for the opportunity I have as Secretary, in reference 

 to our programs and transactions, to utilize the materials obtained 

 iu such a trip, I might be more specific in telling you what I saw 

 and what I learned for my own and our Society's benefit in horti- 



