WISCONSIN STATE HORT. SOCIETY, ANNUAL MEETING, I905. Ill 



Although the convention occupied the same time as our Minne- 

 sota meeting, there were fewer papers and considerable more time 

 spent in discussion. In his annual address, President Loope paid 

 particular tribute to the Wealthy apple as the most important variety 

 in their state. Through the society over fifty barrels of select 

 Wealthys were distributed at the St. Louis exposition, each wrapper 

 bearing the legend "Wisconsin Wealthy" and other advertising 

 matter; several times during the convention the Wealthy was 

 brought out in the most complimentary way, and there seems little 

 doubt but that it leads all Wisconsin seedlings in the general 

 estimation of Wisconsin people. 



The secretary's report showed several interesting things. The 

 Wisconsin society has established three experimental orchards 

 in various parts of the state and is about to start another, and the 

 management is vested in the secretary by a committee. The society 

 took a more direct interest than did ours in the fruit display at St. 

 Louis. In addition to the $5,000 wrested from their commission, 

 they also gave $1,000 from the society treasury; a large amount of 

 fruit was stored, and the sixty-five dozen plates on exhibition were 

 kept filled from the beginning to the end of the fair. As an adver- 

 tising feature the secretary sends out press bulletins which are pub- 

 lished in 600 odd country papers throughout the state. These are 

 newsy items regarding the doings of the society and reach a great 

 many people. The destructive fire in the Wisconsin capitol a year 

 ago demolished the entire library of the horticultural society, but 

 by strenuous activity a new collection has been made that will be 

 even larger and better than the old one. During the past year the 

 Wisconsin society has expended $6,000 in the various departments 

 of its work. 



Our esteemed friend, Mr. A. J. Philips, who has been appointed 

 by the Wisconsin society as delegate-at-large to nearly all the West- 

 ern societies, gave his report, and in it he said many complimentary 

 things for the Minnesota horticulturists and especially commended 

 our form of organization. 



A noteworthy feature in Wisconsin horticulture is the interest 

 in local societies. The state organization, by various means, seems 

 to foster these local societies and considers them of great impor- 

 tance. In Madison they have a local society founded in 1871 which 

 is still flourishing. The small-fruit growers in several localities 

 have banded together for protection in the marketing of their crops, 

 and the results have been most satisfactory. The point was especi- 

 ally emphasized that fruit growers in a locality should bury petty 



