SECRETARY S CORNER. 359 



A Society for Horticultural Science. — An organization for the pur- 

 pose of promoting the "science of horticulture" is about to be formed, 

 according to the "National Nurserymen", at the coming meeting of the Pomo- 

 logical Society, in September next. A horticultural society heretofore has de- 

 voted its attention especially to horticulture as an art, but so much work of a 

 scientific nature has been done in late years bearing directly or indirectly upon 

 the general subject of horticulture that the field of work for such an organiza- 

 tion seems to be fairly well opened up. We shall be very much interested to 

 receive the report of this association. 



Apples to Store for the St. Louis Exposition. — Some sixty or more 

 bushels of select apples are wanted to put into cold storage at St. Louis for 

 use in connection with the horticultural exhibit from jNIinnesota during next 

 summer at the St. Louis Exposition. A portion of these has been secured, 

 but others are needed, and any of our members who have extra nice fruit of 

 any variety that is showy and otherwise desirable will confer a favor b)' noti- 

 fying Secretary Latham, who has the preparation for this exhibit in charge. 

 Highly colored Wealthy apples are especially desired, though there are other 

 varieties that can be used in limited quantities. What have you suitable for 

 this purpose? 



Nature Studies in the Missouri Agricultural College. — Accord- 

 ing to the Orapge Judd Farmer, the Missouri Agricultural Colkge enjoys the 

 distinction of being the first institution in America to offer a course in agri- 

 culture and horticulture to teachers. In the summer school of this college 

 for the past six years these courses have been offered and largely chosen by 

 the teachers attending. As a result of this work each state normal school in 

 Missouri has a professor of agriculture. More than five hundred teachers 

 have been trained in agriculture and horticulture by these institutions. This 

 seems to be a practical way of getting nature study into the district schools of 

 the state. 



Prof. Hansen's Apple Bulletin. — A recent letter from Prof. Hansen 

 speaks of a large number of calls for this bulletin from Minnesota and that the 

 issue is rapidly being exhausted. If others of our members desire to secure a 

 copy they should apply for it at once. A reference to this bulletin will be 

 found in the Secretary's Corner of the June number under the title of "A 

 Study of Northwestern Apples by Prof. Hansen". He has also in process of 

 preparation a similar bulletin on crab apples and is planning another on plums. 

 These three bulletins should make an invaluable compendium on tree fruits in 

 the northwest and should be in the hands of all of our members who are in- 

 terested in this branch of horticulture. 



Prof. Robertson's Strawberrv Patch. — The following extract from a 

 recent letter from Prof. Robertson is of special interest on account of the 

 article he read at our last annual meeting on "Strawberries for the Farm," in 

 which he refers to his personal experience. His method of deep covering, 

 which was criticized somewhat, seems not to have interfered ^ith a bountiful 

 yield. "Our strawberries, although we had no intention of doing a market 

 business, yielded over six bushels some days. We picked about 1,200 quarts 

 from the three little beds — one of them set out six years ago, another four, and 

 the third one year ago. We had fresh strawberries on the table up to about 

 the twentieth of July. So you see they w-ere not all smothered out by the deep 

 mulch." 



