SECRETARY S CORNER 1 59 



Hai.f-toxe Plates for Sale.— The plates used in illustrating our 

 magazine can as a rule be secured at one-half the cost of making. Anyone 

 having use for them should communicate with the secretary soon after using 

 to be sure of getting them. 



Membership Roll for 1906.- At the date of writing, March 22, the 

 annual membership in the society stands at 1559, which is 137 more than the 

 membership roll showed a year ago at the same date. Haven't you a neighbor 

 or friend who would be benefited as well as benefiting the society l:>y having 

 his name placed on the roll ? 



A Champion for Hibernal — "I have just read the adverse report of 

 the Hibernal Apple on page 117 of the last Horticulturist and want to register 

 mj" protest. Every apple has its use and value. The Hibernal, cored and 

 baked whole, with teaspoonful of sugar placed in center where core was 

 removed, is one of the finest apples baked, and the writer always selects out 

 a good supply of the largest and finest colored ones for this purpose, and when 

 served in manner described, with thick cream and sugar, thev are truh' deli- 

 cious. The reputation of the Duchess is based entirely on its value for pies 

 and for stewed sauce and certainly has little merit as an eating apple. If the 

 Hibernal apple tree was sold by nurservmen on its merits as an eating and 

 cooking apple there would be a large place for it in every familj- orchard 

 and also a good sale for it for a long time to come. Our salesmen are all urged 

 to push the sale of the Hibernal tree and also to carefull}- give the buyer in- 

 formation as to the true use and value of the apple and the sturdy ruggeil 

 hardiness of the tree, also its young, annual and prolific bearing qualities." — 

 A. H. Lake, Black River Falls, Wis. 



A Correction by Geo. H. Maxwell.— "Tlie extract appearing on page 

 25 of Januar}' (1906) Horticulturist was taken from the newspaper reporter's 

 version of what I said and, like all such reports, was intended to give the 

 substance rather than the words. Without anj' intention to misrepresent, the 

 reporter who prepared this article made me say things which were not an 

 accurate version of what I actually did say. It was not drainage, but the cut- 

 ting off of all the trees for the benefit of timber speculators on which I placed 

 the greatest stress when I referred to the subject of an automobile road. What 

 I had in mind when I referred to drainage was the country immediately ad- 

 jacent to Cass Lake and not the whole of northern Minnesota. The latter 

 interpretation has been put on the words "northern section" used by the 

 reporter, and the effort has been made to make it appear that I was opposed 

 to drainage anywhere in northern Minnesota. That is entirely a misconception 

 of my position. I recognize as well as anybody that there are immense areas 

 of land in northern Minnesota — more particularly in the Red River Valley 

 drainage basin — which could be drained with great advantage and enormous 

 profit. On the other hand, T understand there is a great deal of what is 

 called "muskeg" and sandy land, which nmst be put in an entirely different 

 class from the rich alluvial soils of the Red River Valley." — George H. Maxwell. 



