SECRET AKY*S CORNfeR. 79 



Commendatory. — "I have this day received "Trees, Fruits and Flowers 

 of Minnesota". It is a splendid volume, alone worth more than the annual 

 membership fee of your excellent association." D. W. Buchanan. 



This is not the only one. 



The Annuai^ Meeting of the S. D. Horticulturai^ Society — was 

 held in Woonsocket, Jan. 20 and 21. Mr. C. E. Older, of Luverne, appeared 

 there as the delegate of our society. This was an especially interesting meeting 

 to the S. D. people as they are to make another effort to secure an appropriation 

 from their state legislature, which is also in session. There ought to be no 

 trouble about their receiving most liberal treatment in this way. Mr. Older's 

 report will be found in the March number. 



Phoenix on the $ 1000 Seedling Apple.— In a recent letter, F. K. Phoe- 

 nix, the veteran horticulturist of Delavan, Wis., speaks warmly in reference to 

 the securing of this much desired fruit. We quote: "Again, therefore, let me 

 urge that this hardy winter apple business be put in the foreground, where it 

 belongs. Rally around it! Raise the Horticultural Society premium to 

 $10,000, with $5,000 for the all around winter apple tree and fruit, and the 

 other $5,000 on worthy second and third varieties. Your members will know- 

 best how to start this ball rolling — till we get there. And better even than the 

 grand new winter apples will be the glorious crop of Western boy and girl, 

 man and woman horticulturists, we shall see in this effort." 



More Printing and a Larger Appropriation for the Society. — 

 A bill has been introduced into the legislature in both houses to increase the 

 printing of the society by 1,000 volumes and the annual appropriation by 

 $500.00. If these very reasonable tlemands of the society are granted, we 

 shall have printed hereafter 4,000 volumes of our report and receive $2,000 

 per annum from the state. As these are very important matters, vitally con- 

 nected with the welfare of the society, members will realize the advisability of 

 speaking a word for them to the law makers of the state "in season and out of 

 season." 



A Word from our Florida Member. — A letter from A. W. Sias to 

 Oliver Gibbs, dated Harbor View, Fla., Jan. 15 says, "We had strawberries 

 on the table today. We have an acre just beginning to ripen. One of the "Big 

 Sioux" seedling grape fruits measured over a foot and a half in circumference 

 last year, and it was a droughty season too." He adds, "I deem it a great com- 

 pliment to me that fifteen old Minnesota cranks should have the backbone and 

 hardiness to acknowledge that they once knew another old crank by the name 

 of Sias — with so small a bribe in sight." This of course refers to his gift of 

 "Big Sioux" grape fruits and kumquats distributed at the IsuiUbanquet 



Southern Minnesota Horticultural Society. — The report of the 

 annual meeting of this society, by Sec'y Freeman, appears in this issue. No 

 special reference is made to the large number of valuable papers read there in 

 this report, as they will appear from time to time during the year in the Horti- 

 culturist. As this report is read and the value of such meetings realized, our 

 members should be stimulated to create similar organizations in other of the 

 well settled portions of the state, where conditions and the interest of the 

 people render it practicable. There ought to be a dozen such societies in Min- 

 nesota. 



