TWO :m]xute talks. 463 



done I take this opportunity to thank you. I have been greatl\- in- 

 terested in this growing of seedUngs. I have grown a great num- 

 ber of varieties of seedlings myself and have turned them over to our 

 state society that they might follow them up and prove their value. 

 I have been saving seeds for many years, and have seeds in my 

 pocket now, and I have apples engaged to take home from this con- 

 vention from which I shall save the seeds and from the result of 

 which I hope to get that thousand dollar premium. I am just a boy 

 yet, and while I am working with strawberries I am also doing some 

 top-grafting. I have forty varieties on one apple tree, and while I 

 am not doing the work of Burbank,! think it will,, perhaps, be as 

 much benefit in our section as that of Burbank. I do not see that 

 Burbank is doing anything for the Northwest. He is working for 

 California and is doing us no good. What we want is something 

 that will benefit our own country. We want every member of this 

 society to help work out these problems. I thank you. (Applause.) 



The President : I am next going to call on Mr. C. G. Patten, one 

 of our best friends and one whom we all admire very much. We 

 are very glad to see him here this year, and we want to hear just a 

 few words from him. 



Mr. C. G. Patten (Iowa) : I am very glad I came to this meeting, 

 and I can assure you that had it not been for the strong desire I had 

 to meet the old horticultural friends in Minnesota I should not have 

 been here, because it was really a very great effort for me to come. 

 But I wanted once more to meet these old friends and renew the 

 associations of former years. I have been greatly pleased in coming 

 to your meetings. When I see those beautiful tables below and re- 

 member that at the first meeting of this society the exhibits would 

 not compare with even the small table at the far end of the room, 

 and now you make a display on this side of that small table that is so 

 magnificent — and when I realize what is being done in Minnesota 

 and northern Iowa in the development of horticulture I can scarcely 

 believe my eyes. It does not seem possible that there is such a dif- 

 ference between that time and this time, only twenty to twent^' five 

 years ago. (Applause.) 



The President : I am now going to call upon a friend whom 

 I do not believe has met with us before, but we are glad to see him 

 and would like to have a few words from him. Mr. S. H. Drum. 



Mr. S. H. Drum, Waseca : It gives me a great pleasure to 

 meet here, although this is my first visit. This is the first time that 

 I have had the pleasure of attending your meetings, and I am very 

 much interested. Being only a farmer, I have not had so much ex- 

 perience, but I have raised a few seedlings, and I hope to continue in 

 the work. I have been very much interested in this work ever since 

 I became a member. I thank you for this opportunity of speaking to 

 vou. 



