iiiilEqer JVT^^tii)^, 1903, 



MINNESOTA STATE HORTrCULTURAL SOCIETY. 



A. W. Latham, Sec'y. 



The good fortune which attends the regular summer gatherings 

 of this society was continued to us in largest measure this year. 

 The day was an ideal Minnesota summer day, a cloudless sky with 

 gentle breezes and the temperature just right to make it agreeable 

 sitting in the sun giving us weather conditions that were all that 

 could be desired. A large number took advantage of the opportunity 

 for so pleasing an outing. Probably more were in attendance than 

 at any previsus meeting. No effort was made to count them nor any 

 approximate estimate attempted, but it is likely that upwards of 300 

 were there. Especially did the strawberry growers come out in 

 great force, so that the exhibit room was crowded, not only during 

 the morning hours when the fruit was being set up but all the after- 

 noon as well, as the judging was not concluded until about the 

 time of the close of the afternoon session of the society. There was 

 a great deal of w'ork for those in attendance in the fruit room. 



There were in all 308 entries, including strawberries, flowers and 

 vegetables. Of these 229 were entries of strawberries, all single 

 plates but three, which were collections, made by F. F. Farrar, of 

 White Bear ; Wm. Lyons, of Minneapolis ; and Thos. Redpath, of 

 Long Lake. Eighty separate varieties of strawberries were entered 

 by name, and first premiums were awarded to seventy-five varieties. 

 Of course quite a good many of these varieties were shown without 

 competition, but in the case of some of the kinds more generally cul- 

 tivated in the state there was considerable competition. As high as 

 thirteen plates were shown of several of the varieties entered and 

 eight or ten of a number of others. Of Bederwood, Clyde and War- 

 field there was thirteen entries each; of Sample and Brandywine, 

 eleven ; of Splendid, Senator Dunlap and Lovett, ten ; of Enhance, 

 eight ; of Crescent, seven ; of Nic Ohmer and Glen Mary, five ; and 

 others of lesser number. Previous to this year probably the largest 

 strawberry exhibit at the summer meeting was in the year 1902, 

 when 113 entries of strawberries was made. This year there were 

 more than twice this number. 



After removing for use at the dining table the collections of 

 strawberries and all duplicates, of which there were a good quantity 



