244 MINNEAPOLIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



At the time of our first sunmier meeting-, which was twelve j'ears 

 sgo, we met in the grove and Prof. Porter spoke about the proposed 

 school. Then we had but one pupil. From that time we have had a 

 steady growth, until our school is well known throughout the Union 

 in the educational field. I am proud of the good it has done; proud 

 of its success. It is a success only because it has been helpful. We 

 started with the single aim of being helpful, and we have succeeded 

 in this effort. Such things ought to succeed. There have been very 

 discouraging times, times when persons of influence did not regard 

 us with favor, but our school has kept on growing, and now we get 

 just as good appropriations as any other educational department. 

 In regard to the new building, a large part of it will be for horticul- 

 ture, though a part will be devoted to botany, and Prof. Lugger and 

 the chemistry department will both find a home in it. Its signifi- 

 cance lies in the opportunity to do additional work. I do not know 

 that I have had many days when I feel prouder than I do today. 

 I feel as though things were coming my way, and that I have the op- 

 portunity to do something more helpful than in the past. I know 

 that the new building brings new responsibilities, and I sometimes 

 shrink from its establishment because I know that I must work in 

 new lines and bring about a larger development. But I hope to 

 assist in making this school of agriculture as good as it can be 

 made, and I hope you will all help in this industrial education which 

 is going to do so much to help mankind. 



Mr. W. M. Babcock, Minneapolis, was called upon on behalf of the 

 Mycological Society. He said: 



"It gives me great pleasure to be permitted to appear before you 

 on behalf of the Minnesota Mycological Society this afternoon, and 

 thank you for the privilege of exhibiting our pets. We have greatly 

 appreciated the interest you have displayed in our exhibit and 

 thank you for it. 



"Our society is young yet, having been organized only last fall, 

 and we are all amateurs working at a difficult study. We have been 

 able to identify all of the specimens exhibited by name, and we know 

 those that are labeled edible are so from personal experiment. 



"We are unfortunate in having to exhibit a fruit that is so perish- 

 able. Most of the specimens shown here were gathered by the mem- 

 bers since four o'clock this morning, and only very few will keep over 

 a day or two. We have brought these to show to your neighbors. 

 Doubtless you will recognize many of them as nuisances in your 

 gardens and orchards and have cut them out or passed them by 

 with a hostile kick. Don't do it again when next you see them. 

 Gather them carefully and take them to your breakfast table. They 

 can be stewed, fried, baked or broiled, and when rightl^^ cooked are 

 delicious. 



" Right here let me caution you. Examine them carefully for in- 

 sects, as they are even more fond of them than we are. Cut off the 

 stem close to the gills, and if you notice little fine holes they are in- 

 fested, and it takes a mushroom crank not to mind inhabitants. 



"Another word of caution: Do not rely on any one's telling you to 

 cook a mushroom with a silver spoon, and it is all right if the spoon 



