220 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



have been largely confined to Minneapolis, still his influence has been 

 felt throughout the state. For what has been done in one place 

 can be done in a greater or less degree in another. It is surprising 

 how the good work of improvement is gathering in force. In looking 

 over a recent report of the Civic Improvement League, reviewing 

 work of 1905-6, it states that for 1904 Minnesota had fifty-two civic 

 organizations. The year of 1905 chronicled seventy-one. Just think 

 of it! — and probably 1906 will show a hundred or more! Would it 

 not be well to organize these and have a yearly meeting for exchange 

 of experiences and plans ? In unity there is strength, and such an as- 

 sociation would be of incalculable benefit to the state. Through it 

 necessary laws might be secured that would enable a community to 

 secure needed improvements otherwise impossible. 



Listen to the German proverb quoted by Mr. Manning, the 

 landscape artist : "What you would have appear in the nation's life, 

 you must introduce into the public schools." 



Just as a matter of interest to our Woman's Auxiliary, I have 

 learned recently that to a woman, more than a generation ago, be-, 

 longs the honor of having organized the first association to improve 

 the appearance of the town in which she lived, its homes and its 

 schools. This in a small Massachusetts town. (Many, but not all 

 good things come from Massachusetts). 



At- the present time a strong effort is being made in some states 

 to introduce schoo.l gardening. The normal schools of Massachu- 

 setts, Illinois and Missouri have school garden courses. It is gen- 

 erally conceded that gardening for children, to be of true edu- 

 cational value, must be connected with the schools. Recognizing 

 the importance of this work for the children, the American Civic 

 Associatioii has added to its other departments one entitled Depart- 

 ment of Children's Gardens, the vice-president of which is Dick J. 

 Crosby, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 



Let me quote again from Mr. Manning: "Make home grounds as 

 inviting and convenient to live in as home rooms," and again, "The 

 character of a community is indicated by its treatment of public 

 grounds." 



The time may come when a community will outline the general 

 architecture of even private buildings, and also the general outline 

 of the lawns as well, and this in order to secure an artistic whole. 

 Artistic results should be the aim oi effort as well as the strictly 

 utilitarian. To quote from an article by C. R. Woodruff: "Our 

 municipalities are coming to recognize that the rights of a com- 

 munity are higher and more important that those of the individual, 

 and that the interests of the latter are best subserved through a cul- 



