158 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY, 



The Orchard Looks WelIv. — Under date of March 16, Mr. F. I. Harris, 

 of La Crescent, says: "I have looked over the orchard and do not discover 

 any signs of winter damages and the prospect is encouraging." 



No Plant Premiums After April 1st. — As per previous announcement, 

 notification of selection of plant premiums cannot be filed after April 1st. 

 After that date is inconvenient for ihose who furnish them, and they have 

 declined to receive them later. 



An Appropri.'VTion for the South Dakota Society. — Secretary Hansen, 

 of the South Dakota State Horticultural Society, writes that the legislature 

 of that state has made an annual appropriation of $1,000 to assist their 

 organization. With this aid we may expect to see that society placed squarely 

 on its feet. We congratulate you. 



When Not TO Spray. — Andrew Wilfert in a recent letter says, " I do not 

 spray any trees after they are leaved out if I can possibly avoid it. By spray- 

 ing we injure the fine organs of the leaves so they cannot absorb the oxygen 

 from the atmosphere and because the fruit can not be what it would be when 

 nature is not interefered with." 



An AI/ABAMA Inspection Law. — Prof. R. S. Mackintosh, late of the 

 Minnesota Experiment Station, now horticultuiist at the Alabama State 

 Experiment Station, has added to his duties lately those of inspector of 

 nurseries, under a law recently enacted in that state. The law provides for 

 the inspection of all nurseries in the state and all fruit trees sold in the state, 

 and no nursery stock can be sold in that state unaccompanied by a certificate 

 from the state horticulturist. That's a decidedly good law, and we believe 

 Mr. Mackintosh had a hand in framing it. 



Is it a "Comic" Poem?— Our readers' attention is called to a poem to be 

 found in this number entitled: "How Farmer Brown Raised an Orchard," 

 written by D. F. Harrington, of Sioux Falls, and read at the late nieeting of 

 the South Dakota Society. Mr. Older, who was our delegate at that meeting, 

 refers to it in his report as a "comic poem," but the writter says, "I was never 

 in a more serious mood in my life than when I attempted to relate in rhyme 

 the story as given me by Farmer Brown." As to whether it is comic or not 

 we will permit out readers to judge. It is certainly interesting 



Mr. Older in this report also refers to Mr. Hen in glen as"ECciii g his cwn 

 former methods" in this poem, and Mr. Harrington gets back at him with the 

 following "letter from 'Farmer Brown,' " which is too good to keep. It will 

 be better appreciated after reading the poem: 



Appi,E Orchard Farm, S. D., March 6th, 1903. 

 "Mr. D. F. Harrington, 



Sioux Falls, S. D. 

 Dear Sir:- * ***.:,***** 



I read the report of the Minnesota delegate to our Society's meeting, and 

 I told Mirandy that I believed it was from one of his agents that we bought 

 that big bill of 'Sparant apples years ago, and Mirandy she says she is sure 

 now that she comes to think about it, though she says she will not swear to it. 

 Goll ding him, if I war sure it war him, I'd go clean down to Luverne afoot, 

 on purpose to lick him, old as I am. He may be an an angel now, but blast 

 my buttons if I believe he always has been. 



Yours, 



John Henry Jenkins Brown." 



