president's annual address. 15 



And now I have to propose to you as a means of clinching the 

 matter that we form an ''Inner Circle" of the members of the society 

 who will pledge each other to make the planting of a few good 

 seeds of fruit or flowering shrub a part of the regular duty of each 

 year, and in token of this pledge that we wear at our meetings this 

 button which has been prepared to distribute for this purpose. I am 

 not proposing a new organization or any additional machinery for 

 the society to keep running ; I am only wishing to encourage an 

 enthusiasm and fraternity of feeling for the great object which we 

 so much desire to see accomplished. 



While this should be undertaken almost as a labor of love, for 

 the honor of our society and the cause of northern horticulture, 

 I doubt not that it would seem altogether proper for the society to 

 ofifer some special premiums for fruits that might be .originated 

 within this circle during the next few years. I am also of the 

 opinion that those interested in the same class of fruit should get tO' 

 gether and council and share each other's advice and experience. 



It is with considerable diffidence that I concluded to bring this 

 matter before you. as I know that the visions of an enthusiast are 

 likely to be highly colored and frequently impractical, and I shall 

 only hope that you will give the proposition a fair consideration. 



I believe that these meetings of ours are not only becoming 

 more valuable year by year, but that their great usefulness is be- 

 coming better appreciated. Let us enter upon the duties and pleas- 

 ures of this occasion with a due sense of its great opportunity for 

 good. We trust that the usual harmonious spirit, which has so 

 generally prevailed may pervade this meeting, and that the informa- 

 tion, courage and enthusiasm gathered here may prove an abiding 

 inspiration for the months that lie before us. 



REPORT OFCOMMITTEE ON PRESIDENTS'S ADDRESS 



DEWAIN COOK, CHAIRMAN. 



Your committee on president's address would respectfully 

 commend the address to the society, and more especially that part 

 relating to the planting of choice seeds of fruits and fiowers, and 

 to this end we would recommend that this society authorize the 

 executive board to appoint some person or persons to collect seeds 

 and grow seedlings from our best varieties of apples and plums, and 

 perhaps some other fruits, for distribution to parties in various parts 

 of the state who will grow them to fruiting age. believing that 

 money can be better expended by the society in this direction than 



