A SEASONS WORK WITH CHILDREN AND FLOWERS. II3 



having standing room only. The improvement club provided num- 

 berless popcorn balls, each wrapped in a paper napkin. There was 

 one for each child. It meant lots of work, but it certainly was a 

 pleasure to give them this treat. In February we will have an- 

 other "children's day," just before distributing seeds, with a 

 patriotic program and a short talk on the spring work. 



We feel that by working faithfully with fhe children we shall 1)€ 

 able to cultivate in them a love for the beautiful and to educate 

 them to fake an interest in our city, knowing that the future welfare 

 of the homes therein will be faithfully guarded and that they will al- 

 ways be loyal to its best interests. 



ANNUAL MEETING, 1905, NORTHEASTERN IOWA 

 HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



CHRIST BERTHELSEN, ALBERT LEA, DELEGATE. 



Your delegate arrived at Hampton. Iowa, at four o'clock 

 P. M. Dec. 19 Jast and proceeded immediately to the court-house, 

 where the meeting v^^as in progress. There was a good attendance 

 of members of the society, but the rural population did not show 

 much interest, it being too close to Christmas and everybody 

 busy. Your delegate was cordially received, made an honorary 

 member for the year and invited to take part in the discussions. 



The meeting was called to order by President W. H. Guil- 

 ford, of Dubuque. Invocation by Rev. Gruvel. Report of direc- 

 tors and delegates was next in order, and later cold storage as 

 a means to keep apples was discussed. It was recommended to 

 dig caves with a six-inch tile several rods in length at the bot- 

 tom to take away foul air, and one on top to keep it "ventilated : 

 brick or cement to form the sides and to arch it over with the 

 same material and cover that with dirt, and seed to bluegrass. 

 II; had been tried by Mr. Plummer and also by Mr. Geo. Van 

 Flouten and found to be a good way to keep apples. Mr. Plum- 

 iner had a small shanty in front of the door which he found very 

 convenient, it being a help to keep it warm in winter and cool 

 in summer, as he could shut one door before he opened the 

 other. In the discussion it was stated by Mr. Van Houten that 

 the Wealthy apple was a failure in southwestern Iowa on ac- 

 count of it dropping before maturity. 



In the evening there was an address of welcome by Hon. D. 

 W. Dows, responded to by Rev. C. H. True. President Guilford 

 read his annual address. He paid trilnite to the dead, and said 

 others were getting gray but still spreading the gospel of hor- 



