SUMMER MEETING, 1899. 243 



church, St. Paul. The basket lunches were supplemented by appe- 

 tizing' coffee, delicious cream from the farm dairy, lemonade, etc., 

 furnished and served by the school, all of which received' ample 

 justice. 



President Pendergast called the society together for the program 

 of exercises immediately after the luncheon, opening the same by a 

 pleasant speech. He referred to the fact that they were gathered on 

 the longest day of the year, though fearing it would be all too short 

 for the many things they had to see and hear. He congratulated 

 the members on being in a state where fruits can be raised in abund- 

 ance and of the best quality, and where there is nothing to fear from 

 the action of cold or frosts, whereas in the south they are all the 

 time in fear that something will destroy the harvest. He was in 

 Florida and saw the great desolation that was produced by the de- 

 struction of their one crop a few years ago, and in a journey of 800 

 miles through the state did not see an orange, and wondered how 

 the people lived. They said they used to pull through on "mullets 

 and grits" (a kind of pounded corn), but now they lived on "sick 

 Tanks." But Minnesota is to be congratulated in that a diversity of 

 fruits can be raised and in a certainty of harvest, which in his forty- 

 three years residence he had never known to fail. Altogether the 

 president took a very optimistic view as to the possibilities of the 

 state in its fruit industry, both as to quality and prices. 



Col. W. M. Liggett, Director of the Station, welcomed the society 

 in a few words of cordial greeting, suggesting that in the co-opera- 

 tion of such bodies the success of their institution largely depends 

 and hoping to receive it in the future as in the past. Referring to 

 the appropriation of $34,000 for the horticultural building. Col. 

 Liggett hoped we would be able to hold our meeting in the new 

 building next year. 



Mr. J. M. Underwood made the response for the society, speaking 

 of the school, its progress and work, as a special heritage of the hor- 

 ticultural society, and of their pride in the able body of men at its 

 head, rejoicing in the hearty accord between the school and the so- 

 ciety. 



Mr. Wedge was to have laid the corner stone of the new building, 

 but sufficient progress not having been made, the president said 

 Mr. Wedge could act in a speculative way and lay the corner stone 

 in imagination. He was therefore introduced and delivered the fol- 

 lowing able address on "The New Horticultural Building and what 

 it Represents." (See index.) 



Prof. Green was called upon to respond, and, although disclaim- 

 ing any thought of making a speech, spoke to the point somewhat 

 as follows: 



"This horticultural society has always meant a good deal to me 

 This is the twelfth year since I have been in the state, and I have 

 attended eleven of these meetings, and in all this time I have had 

 the most cordial support of this society. Had it not been for this 

 support I know I should not be here today, and it is through the 

 advice and counsel received from you that I have attained to some 

 measure of success. 



