Il6 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



As yet little has been done in most of the states in the way of 

 forest preservation. Next to, and perhaps equal to Pennsylvania in 

 these matters, would come New York State, which has a magnifi- 

 cently managed forest department, of which Col. Fox is the head. 



Every one who attended the convention was impressed with the 

 importance of forestry from these different points of view, and the 

 result of the convention will undoubtedly be very helpful in for- 

 mulating the forest policies of the different states, as well as of 

 the national government. 



Monsieur Jusserand made a very pleasant speech, and in refer- 

 ing to the growth of the forest he said that when he was a little 

 boy his father took him out to see a newly planted forest, but he 

 could not find the trees, because they were so small. He went back 

 there a few years ago, and the trees couldn't see him, he appeared so 

 small in comparison with them. 



Irrigating interests are deeply mindful of the value of forest 

 cover on the mountains in retarding the melting of the snow in the 

 spring. Where vegetation is stripped off they have spring freshets, 

 and the snow water passes off doing but little good, and at the 

 time of the year when they need water the most they have none. 

 In referring to this matter one speaker said that a laborer of his 

 said it was better to have a little stimulant as you want it and as 

 you go along, than to have a high old time once or twice a year. 



In speaking about the time required for the growth of forests 

 and of the necessity of this generation building for the generation 

 that is to follow, President Roosevelt made the statement that, "It 

 is a poor American who lives only for this generation." 



ANNUAL MEETING, 1905, SOUTHERN MINNESOTA 

 HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



L. P. H. HIGHBY, SECY., ALBERT LEA. 



The twelfth annual meeting of the Southern Minnesota Society 

 was held this year in Spring Valley, the county seat of Fillmore 

 county. That we were in one of the best fruit regions of the state 

 may be learned from the fact that fifty-four car loads, of 170 barrels 

 a car, were shipped from this station the past season. It was stated 

 by a reliable citizen of the county that the people of this section 

 had come to grow as much fruit as they have as a direct result of 

 the work done by the local horticultural society. The meetings were 

 not as well attended as might have been expected, which regrettable 

 fact can no doubt largely be attributed to the disagreeable weather. 



The following program was rendered : 



