440 secretary's corner. 



Delegates to the Upper Mississippi River Improvement Associa- 

 tion. — By request of the officers of the associa'ion referred to, three delegates 

 were appointed to represent our society at the session of that association held 

 in Minneapolis, Oct. 9 and 10. The following members served in that 

 capacity, Geo. T. Halbert and S. A. Stockwell, of Minneapolis, and Ed Vanish, 

 of St. Paul. 



A Seedling ui- the Miner Plum. — Mr. J. M. Underwood sent from the 

 grounds of the Jewell Nursery Co., Lake City, to this office, Sept. 21st, a 

 basket of plums of a variety grown from the seed of the Miner, and its appear- 

 ance would indicate its ancestry. It is a plum of uniformly good size, dark 

 red color, with rather thick skin — which might tend to make it curculio proof 

 — and of excellent flavor. It is not freestone, but its other good qualities 

 makes it apparently a valuable fruit. Samples of the same fruit came to this 

 office last year. The writer is not aware whether this plum is being propa- 

 gated, but it certainly has merit entitling it to much consideration. 



Death of Wm. Oxford, — A clipping from a local paper gives the follow- 

 ing information: "Wm. Oxford of Crooked Creek, died Oct. 6ih at the Cale- 

 donia hospital, where he had been receiving treatment the past several months. 

 Mr. Oxford was one of the pioneer settlers of this country. He was born at 

 Southampton, England, April 1, 1825, and April 9, 1849, married Miss 

 Mary Wakefield. They came to this coimtry shortly afterward and located 

 temporarily at Boston, from which place they moved to Allamakee County, 

 Iowa, in 1851, and in 1852 settled on a farm in Crooked Creek, which they 

 sold some years ago to their son-in-law, Joseph Till. Mrs. Oxford died about 

 a year ago. They are survived by a son and two daughters." Mr. Oxford, 

 while not as well known as some of the older members of our society, was one 

 of the most loyal members of the association, and though for some time anti- 

 cipating his death it is none the lets deplored He had been a member of the 

 society, as the reports show, for the last thirteen years. My attention was 

 first called to him personally at the time of the exhibit of fruit at the World's 

 Fair at Chicago. Mr. Oxford contributed at that time one of the best variety 

 collections of fruit that were shown there. At the state fair for many years 

 he was a constant exhibitor, and in every way as opportunity offered he con- 

 tributed to the welfare and success of the society. In recognition of his ster- 

 ling services to the association, at the annual meeting in 1899 Mr. Oxford 

 was made an honorary life member of the society at the same time with Mr. 

 Lord, Mr. Richardson, Prof. Hansen, and others. 



Death of R j. Mendenhall — Just as the forms are being made up for 

 this number, too late for an extended notice, the death of this pioneer mem- 

 ber of our society is announced, which occurred at his home at 1714 Stevens 

 Ave , Minneapolis, Oct. 19, at the advanced age of seventy-eight years. Fuller 

 notice of the decease of this valued member will be found in a later number. 



