TWO MINUTE TALKS. 467 



I wish it were possible that I might do something practical in this 

 field. I want to say that you are public benefactors. There is a 

 growing trend of thought and a desire to get near nature, and peo- 

 ple are reading with avidity everything that appears in magazines 

 and papers along that line, and so I listened this morning with a 

 great deal of interest to the gentleman who said you could not plant 

 too many apples, they would not be a drug on the market, and 

 thought we could never' grow an oversupply of fruit, especially ap- 

 ples. (Applause.) 



The Chairman: Now I am going to ask a lady to close this 

 speechmaking. I am going to call on Mrs. Ray, one of our old and 

 valued members whose presence we have welcomed here for many 

 years. 



Mrs. J. W. Ray: I am always glad to come to these meetings 

 and profit' by them although I am not a farmer. I have a few trees 

 in my back yard. I was about two or three years of age when I first 

 became interested in horticulture, and I remember so well my in- 

 quiring about grafting, and they said you cut a piece off a tree and 

 put another piece on it, and it would grow. I had a sunflower and 

 a little apple tree, and I cut off my sunflower and put it on the ap- 

 ple tree, but it did not grow. I have been interested in horticulture 

 ever since. I am glad the society is growing in numbers and in in- 

 terest. I thank you. (Applause.) 



Question : "What is the outlook for apple growing? Is it good 

 or is it discouraging? What do you think of the future of apple 

 growing from a commercial standpoint?" 



Mr. Underwood : Until every man, woman and child in the 

 country have all the apples they want to eat I think there is going 

 to be a good market. I am sure everybody likes apples, and I do 

 not suppose that ten per cent of the population get all they want. 

 Of course, when it comes to the matter of growing for market, 

 when we look at it from a commevcial standpoint, I believe there 

 is an unlimited -field for production. 



Question : Prof. Hansen : Here is quite a long question handed 

 me by the secretary, and the questioner wants information regarding 

 the identity of the North Star apple. Mr. Brown, of Eureka, wants 

 to know if they are desirable. Of our North Star apples, the first 

 one Mr. Patten sent out, and the other North Star is a Duchess 

 seedling from Maine, and it is known as Dudley's Winter, named" 

 after Mr. Dudley of Maine. I want to say that although this is 

 called a winter apple it is not any better keeper than the Wealthy. 

 I say there are two North Star apples, and I want to make that dis- 

 tinct. 



Mr. Elliot: I think there are three North Star apples. 



Question : Prof Hansen : Here is a question regarding the 

 propagation of the birch. I might say in reply to this question 

 that the seed is small, we sow it under shade the same as evergreen- 

 seed. 



