26 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ihey might realize more the value placed on these reports, the ex- 

 ecutive board some years ago provided for the payment of the rail- 

 road expenses of these officers to and from the annual meeting if 

 such reports were presented. In the judgment of the secretary 

 these reports ought to be made of large practical value and in a wa\ 

 to indicate the general conditions of horticulture throughout the 

 state, which is fairly well covered by these officers. 



Connected with the work of the society is the exhibit of fruit at 

 the state fair and also, during a limited period, the fruit exhibit that 

 the state of Minnesota is to make at the coming World's Fair. It 

 is largely due to the fact that the secretary's office contains the 

 machinery needed to operate these various affairs successfully that 

 their mauagement has come to that officer. To the horticultural 

 society is due almost entirely the honor which belongs to us for the 

 very fine exhibit of fruit made at the state fair. This display has 

 indeed outgrown the dimensions of the present space alloted to us, 

 so that the premium list has had to be changed and will have to 

 be changed again to cut down quantity in the display, although we 

 believe this is resulting in improving the quality. An effort to get 

 out a fewer number of varieties and a higher grade of fruit we hope 

 will result in such an improvement as we all desire. We are handi- 

 capped in this display somewhat by the fact that the fair is held a 

 little too early to secure well ripened and highly colored fruit, such 

 as the clear sky and dry atmosphere of Minnesota can produce. If 

 the date could be postponed a week or two Horticultural Hall would 

 be a much prettier spot. 



Among the exploits of this society of which we have special 

 reason to be proud, there is none which appeals to us more than the 

 success attending our delegate, Mr. Wyman Elliot, with the display of 

 Minnesota apples, and especially of seedlings, made at the late meet- 

 ing of the American Pomological Society in Boston. Mr. Elliot was 

 indefatigable in getting together the fruit which the society desired 

 to show at that place. With the aid of Prof. Green, Mr. T. E. 

 Perkins, of Red Wing, and others who were equally zealous, he was 

 able to send from the state fair immediately after its close a collec- 

 tion which won for us the Wilder Medal and the attention of all the 

 fruit growers who were gathered together at that great meeting. At 

 the close of the meeting that portion of the display which came from 

 the orchard of T. E. Perkins was repacked and returned to Minne- 

 apolis by express and is now on exhibition in the hall below\ I wish 

 to commend to you the report of Mr. Elliot in connection with this 

 meeting which was published in the November number of our maga- 

 zine. 



