396 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



tion of the city is level, while the resident portion is on the high 

 ridge back from the center. At this time of the year cotton is 

 being marketed, and it is not infrequent to see hundreds of bales 

 resting on the pavements, in the center, or along the sides of the 

 streets. 



The first paper presented after the opening exercises was by 

 Dr. Wilcox, of the Alabama Station, on "Forestry in Its Relation 

 to the Farmer of the State." The speaker emphasized the fact 

 that fertility is the farmer's capital, consequently it should be the 

 aim of all to maintain the fertility of the soil. The keeping of some 

 lands in forests instead of farm crops was mentioned as one way of 

 doing this. 



The writer had the pleasure of telling the members what he 

 thought should be the training given the young farmers and horti- 

 culturists of the state. It was hard for him not to think too much 

 of the training given in the Minnesota Farm School and College of 

 Agriculture. 



One entire afternoon was given to papers from the staff of the 

 state board of entomology. This board was established about eight 

 years ago with the object in view of trying to keep the San Jose 

 scale and other fruit pests from spreading. Their work has been 

 of great value. The subjects discussed were : Improved sprays 

 for the scale insects, crown gall, shot-hole borers and nematode dis- 

 eases of the peach, and the woolly aphis of the apple. As the peach 

 is the chief fruit grown in the state, so most of the papers dealt with 

 its enemies. 



In the evening Prof. T. G. Pearson, secretary of the National 

 Audubon Association, gave an illustrated lecture on beneficial birds. 

 After the lecture a branch Audubon society was formed. 



"Marketing of Fruits," by Mr, Guy L. Stewart, was a valuable 

 paper, and if his suggestions were followed there would be less com- 

 plaint about the grading and packing of fruit. 



Prof. Starnes, of the Georgia station, described minutely the 

 life history of the ever present peach tree borer and suggested some 

 new methods of controlling it. As the peach borer is one of the 

 worst enemies of the peach, so all new and practical methods of 

 eradicating it are timely. 



The last paper read was on "Practical Irrigation," by a prom- 

 inent grower, Mr. Mark Riegel.' Even with the large rainfall it is 

 often desirable to have water handy in times of drouth. 



