274 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ed that the members should more largely grow flowers for exhibit 

 at the meeting until Armory Hall was filled with them and wc might 

 find it necessary to occupy the new coliseum at the state fair 

 grounds. 



Prof. F, L. Washburn talked a short time about "Scales and 

 other things," mostly about other things. What he had to say abour 

 scales was not especially discouraging, as he told us that the lady 

 bug was getting busy amongst them and was apparently able to 

 take care of them without the assistance of the usual spray. If 

 found necessary to spray for these scales a good strong soapsuds 

 emulsion would probably do the business. He exhibited a very 

 handsome chart of birds which it was a pleasure to have an oppor- 

 tunity to see. 



Mr. W. A. Peterson, an assistant in Prof. Green's office at the 

 station, was called out to talk of the work in crossing plums which 

 he has been doing for the station in the plum orchard of Nils An- 

 derson, at Lake City, Minn. He has made there, this spring, a 

 large number of crosses between the Americana plum and the Jap- 

 anese and domestic plums. It is expected that practically the whole 

 crop of plums at Mr. Anderson's place will be saved, both those that 

 have grown from these hand crosses and also the balance, amongst 

 which there should be many natural crosses, and from this seed seed- 

 ling trees will be grown. The station has hopes of securin,^ some 

 valuable new and hardy sorts from this work. Mr. Peterson 

 spoke also of crossing the wild Alaskan strawberries with various 

 natives — work he has done at the station — in hopes of securing some 

 hardy strawberries of good quality which would winter without 

 covering. 



Prof. A. Boss spoke briefly of "Plant breeding for hardiness." 

 With the large experience Prof. Boss has had at the station in 

 breeding new varieties of grain plants, in which hardiness is equal 

 ly as essential as with fruits, he is very competent to speak on this 

 subject. He referred in his talk to a number of ways of breeding 

 hardiness in plant's. 1st. The natural way of selecting sorts that do 

 not winter-kill and are prolific bearers, and planting the seed from 

 them. 2nd. Gathering specimens of fruit that differ from the nor- 

 mal, saving and planting the seed from them. 3d. Securing var- 

 ieties from other sections or countries and testing their hardiness, 

 using them later for crossing purposes or to grow seedlings from 



As there was no shorthand reporter at our meeting, the lan- 

 guage of Prof. Boss and other speakers referred to above cannot be 

 exactly quoted. In Prof. Boss' case we expect to secure a paper 



