30 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



do SO indefinitely. There is also a prize offered for a seedling- plum, 

 the personal offer of one of our members, Mr. Chas. M. Loring. 

 There are only two or three competitors for this prize so far, but 

 this is not to be taken as an index of the interest in originating 

 improved plums, and we believe that something good will come of 

 this offer. 



In connection with the $ioo prizes above referred to, there 

 were sent out from the office last spring 317 lots of apple seed, 

 and the most of the entries so far made have come from this 

 source; many, however, who secured and supposedly planted this 

 seed have not yet been heard from. This seed, as many of you 

 know, was taken from apples of a wintei variety, the Malinda, 

 grown in the tops of Duchess trees, having been grafted therein 

 by Mr. S. H. Kenney, in his home orchard, at Waterville. We 

 surely have a right to expect some valuable fruits from this 

 source. 



No change has taken place in the riimber of our auxiliary 

 societies this year, but the membership of some of them has in- 

 creased. The North Dakota society is still on our list as an 

 auxiliary, carrying this year about one hundred members, and 

 it seems likely to remain there until such a time as they secure 

 an appropriation from their own state to enable them to print a 

 report. 



I might refer briefly to the Plant Breeders' Auxiliary, organ- 

 ized within the ranks of the society, with a present membership of 

 ninety-two, but I need not take time to go into this definitely, as it 

 will be very fully referred to by the secretary of that organization 

 in its proper place in this meeting. 



We have had unusual accessions to our roll of life members this 

 year, to the number of sixteen. There have been also unusual losses 

 from this roll by death, nearly all of them older members, endeared 

 to us by long years of service. This sad roll is made ud of the fol- 

 lowing names : R. H. L. Jewett, O. M. Lord, Amasa Stewart, Wm. 

 Oxford, R. J. Mendenhall, Wm. Somerville. 



The lecturers with the farmers' institutes, Mr. Frank Yahiike, 

 of old, and Mr. R. A. Schutz, who has been out now only one 

 year, have done important work for the society and the horti- 

 culture of the state. The roster of members has been added 

 to much in the usual way through their efforts, Mr. Yahnke send- 

 ing in 116 and Mr. Schutz 258 names as members of the society. 

 The ill-health of Mr. Yahnke is likely to interfere with his being 

 in the institute work this winter, Avhich we most sincerely regret, as 

 his services in that position seem almost indispensable. Mr. Schutz, 



