SECRETARY S ANNUAL REPORT FOR I9O5. IQ 



Two new experiment stations have been established this year, 

 one at Glencoe, with Capt. A. H. Reed as superintendent, and the 

 other near Dukith, at Wrenshall, Mr. F. B. McLeran being in 

 charge. The one near Duluth opens up a new region for experi- 

 mentation, and we expect especially interesting reports from its 

 superintendent. 



This year an advance has been made in the preparation of blank 

 forms for the use of the vice-presidents in securing information in 

 their respective districts. A quantity of these were sent to each 

 vice-president for distribution, and their value may be judged some- 

 what from any apparent changes in' the reports of these officers. 

 An experiment of special interest to apple growers in the state was 

 inaugurated this year by sending out to each of the trial stations a 

 dozen small apple trees of a number of varieties grafted in the 

 crown on Pyrus Baccata roots. Instructions were sent to the sup- 

 erintendents of these stations so that there might be uniformity in 

 the treatment of these trees during their development, and suitable 

 blanks to make annual reports about them. We are in hopes in time 

 by these experiments to secure definite information as to the value 

 of this method of growing apple trees in the northwest. 



A good many additions have been made to the library this year, 

 but no special effort has been made in that direction, as the library 

 cases are already full, and at least one-half as many books as are in 

 the office are stored outside for safe keeping until the society se- 

 cures accommodations that will permit their placing on the shelves. 

 The most important books, however, are in the library, and no in- 

 convenience has resulted from thi^ arrangement. About sixty 

 volumes will cover the increase this year. Most of them are re- 

 ports from other societies, but several are books by well known 

 horticultural authors, which have been purchased or have come to 

 us for review. An improvement of special value which will be more 

 and more appreciated is the preparation of card indexes ; one of the 

 books of the library, topically arranged, which is as yet only parti- 

 ally completed ; one of the horticultural bulletins from the state ex- 

 periment stations of the country, nearly a full file of which is to 

 be found in the office. These are arranged in the card index alpha- 

 betically according to subjects and may be consulted with great con- 

 venience. They include nearly every subject of interest to the horti- 

 culturist. A third card index is being prepared of the various pa- 

 saving newspaper clippings pertaining to the work of the society, and 

 published in our annual reports. We have been some years now 

 saving newspaper clippings pertaining to the work of the society, and 

 these have year by year been put into scrap book form chrono- 

 logically arranged and will be found interesting for review. 



