Secretary's (^ori^er. 

 ^..A^ ^^^^^ 



Portrait of J. C. Plumb. — The excellent plate used as frontis- 

 piece in this number came to us through the courtesy of the "Wis- 

 consin Horticulturist." 



Send in Fruit Reports. — The fruit growers are requested to 

 send by April 15th brief reports of the condition of orchards and 

 fruit gardens, from which to prepare a summary for the May 

 number. Address the secretary. 



What W^ill the Harvest Be?— Advices received during the 

 month as to the condition and prospects of Minnesota fruits indi- 

 cate no change from what was said of the situation in the March 

 Corner. Winter "still lingers in the lap of spring," and until she 

 gets over it, and things begin to grow, nothing more definite can be 

 known. The prospect is, however, generally thought to be good, 

 and the injury inconsiderable to hardy trees and plants and small 

 fruits reasonably protected. 



Calendar for 1899.— Mr. O. M. Lord, of Minnesota City, has kindly 

 consented to edit the calendar for the current year. His long and 

 varied experience in different branches of horticulture in the north- 

 west fits him for this work, and the society is very fortunate to 

 secure his assistance. 



It will be remembered that Mr. Lord has been representing horti- 

 culture with the Farmer's Institute this winter, and he will probably 

 be with the institute corps again during the summer season. 



To Encourage Growing Seedlings.— "The Southern Minnesota 

 Horticultural Society has adopted the following plan to aid in the 

 development of the coming apple. Each member who may wish to 

 try his luck, is provided with ten one-year old seedling apple trees, 

 annually, and the society hopes to offer liberal premiums for the 

 best apples raised froin these seedlings. 



The seedlings will be from seed of best and hardiest Minnesota 

 grown varieties. R. Parkhill, Sec'y." 



Winter Effects at Sleepy Eye. — " My foreign plums are all 

 winter-killed. The Early Red and Long Blue bore plums last year. 

 The Minnesota, from Sweden, is dead. I got scions of a Bohemian 

 prune last spring from Wisconsin, said to be hardy. The whole 

 grafted part is- dead. The Illinois Ironclad is dead also. The 

 Schaffer raspberries are killed to the ground. Turner, Ohio and 

 Gregg raspberries are in fair condition. I top-worked a number of 

 apple trees last spring. I think all are in good condition." 



Martin Penning. 



Meadow Vale Horticultural Club.— This enterprising local 

 society, of Elk River, has reported fifteen members, Erastus Morgan, 

 president; A. W. Keays, secretary; and they have notified of their 

 intention of sending a delegate to our next rneeting.' Although 



