402 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Our astonishment can be imagined when we found each one of 

 those beautiful old virgin pines burned at the root, just enough to 

 bring it under the condemned list. Unfamiliar with the vicious 

 workings of the dead and down law, we looked about to learn the 

 cause of the fire. Not a leaf, twig or grass blade was scorched, 

 there was no sign of tramp or camper, but on examining the burn- 

 ing in the noblest tree of all the group we discovered a small kero- 

 sene lamp almost melted down. 



Father Wright sat at a little distance looking out at the blue 

 waters of the lake over which for centuries the birch canoes of his 

 people had glided so swiftly. We approached, and holding aloft 

 the lamp, said: "What does this mean?" With a pathos in his 

 voice that I shall never forget, he replied, 'Dead and down Timber 

 Act, burn, want to buy." 



I assure you the old lamp was good campaign material. At our 

 next state meeting, when our brothers were present, we told the story 

 and exhibited the lamp and said, "Are not the Indians the wards of 

 this nation? Shall we, through our laws, ofifer a premium for 

 criminal practices? This lamp should cause the blush of shame to 

 mantle the cheek of every honest voter in Minnesota and kindle a 

 back fire of indignation that should wipe off the statutes such ne- 

 farious laws." 



BIENNIAL MEETING, AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL 

 SOCIETY, 1905. 



WYMAN ELLIOT, MINNEAPOLIS, DELEGATE. 



The twenty-ninth biennial meeting of the American Pomological 

 Society, at Kansas City, Sept. 19, 20 and 21, was a very enjoyable and 

 instructive occasion, and very well attended by members and dele- 

 gates from eighteen of the United States and Territories and Canada. 

 There were many professors of horticulture from various state ex- 

 periment stations in attendance. The program was full of timely, 

 instructive topics, the most important of which were considered. 

 Quite a number of speakers were not present nor their papers read, 

 but they will be printed in the biennial report, which can be had by 

 sending $2.00 to Secretary L. R. Taft, Agricultural College, Mich., 

 making the sender member for two years. 



The display of fruits was very fine, although the exhibition room 

 was quite limited, and being situated in one end of the audience 

 room made it at times quite objectionable to those desirous of listen- 

 ing to the subjects under discussion. Many of the varieties were 



