358 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. J. M. Underwood : There are clubs and clubs, and I wish 

 to say to the members of the state horticultural society that they 

 will have to co-operate to a certain extent,to a large extent', with the 

 Minnesota State Federation of Women's Clubs. They have a stand- 

 ing committee that looks after the interests of improvement, outdoor 

 improvement, in country villages and towns, and every year this 

 committee has more or less of interest that is brought before the 

 federation, and I think if any of the members would make it con- 

 venient to attend any of those meetings they would find that to a 

 large extent the women are really in line with all that work that 

 would be of help to them. 



The President : When Mrs. Hoverstad spoke of the exodus that 

 took place I thought of what Mr. Underwood said about women 

 joining our association, I hope another time he will urge the gen- 

 tlemen to remain for the program, for I am sure we always have 

 on our program something that would do the gentlemen quite as 

 much good as what they hear in the other meetings. 



Secretary's (^ori^er. 



R. H. L JEWETT IN California. — This old member of our society is 

 reported as having been in California since October last and in somewhat 

 feeble health. We hope to have early news of an improvement in his condi- 

 tion. 



Where THE Apple Crop is Good. — J W. Beckman, of Cokato, Minn., 

 says, "The crop on heavy soil is poor, but on sandy soil with good drainage 

 the trees are loaded." How far does this agree with the experience of others 

 this year? 



■Earlv Plums. — Two boxes of plums were received in the office Aug. 13th, 

 one from Mr. Beckman, Cokato; and the other from L. P. H. Highby, Albert 

 Lea, a plum, as he says, grown in the woods, but of sound flesh and good 

 quality, free from astringency. It seems to be worth looking after. 



Thin out the WealThys. — Many reports throughout the state show that 

 the older Wealthy trees as a general thing are bearing more fruit than they 

 ought to carry, especially, wheie, in many cases, the foliage appears weak 

 and unable to do the necessary work of maturing an extraordinarily large crop. 

 Why not go through the orchard and systematically thin the fruit on these 

 overloaded Wealthy trees, as they do in the highly successful peach orchards 

 of the south, where no two peaches are allowed to touch one another or come 

 within several inches of it? It is a question whether an early thinning of the 

 Wealthy would really much reduce the crop. Certainly not the income from 

 it, as those that are left would attain greater size and higher color, bringing 

 a better price in the market. If the growei is in doubt as to the advisability 

 of going to this expense, select two trees of this variety of equal size and bear- 

 ing. Thiu the crop of one tree, and when the fruit is gathered, pick the crop 

 from each of these two trees separately and make a note of comparative results 

 and report to the secretary. 



