bb MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



for thousands of apple trees on the promise that they were sure 

 to live, thrive and bear. 



In the past year I have put in some study as to the most efficient 

 means of strengthening our organization and to encourage all agri- 

 culturists to enter into fruit culture with more confidence and en- 

 thusiasm. It seems to me that members of this society should be 

 authorized and encouraged by the secretary and vice-presidents to 

 act as a committee in the county in which they reside to organize 

 an auxiliary association in each county, which can be easily accom- 

 plished if one-half of the membership fee of one dollar be accepted 

 in full payment for membership in state society, while the other half 

 could go in defraying in local organization. 



VICE-PRESIDENT'S REPORT, FOURTH CONGRESS- 

 IONAL DISTRICT. 



B. T. HOYT, MERRIAM PARK. 



As every one knows, the past summer has been a very unusual 

 one. At one time a drought threatened us, but this was soon broken 

 up by showers several times a week, followed by cold, gloomy 

 weather, which made the conditions very unfavorable for some 

 things, and especially for small fruits. 



We were certainly favored with one good week for the Min- 

 nesota State Fair, but after that the rainy weather started again 

 and did not let up until late in the fall. 



Plums. The prospect for plums was very good early in the sea- 

 son, but the heavy winds broke quite a number of the limbs off 

 that were loaded too heavily, and the rains cracked open a large 

 number of the best fruit. The plum trees made an enormous 

 growth of wood the past season. 



Apples. Our Virginia crab apples bore a good fair crop, but 

 the Transcendent crab trees were about barren. The large apples 

 are just starting to bear, but we had some fine specimens of 

 Wealthy, Patten's Greening and other leading varieties from five 

 and six year old trees, some of which have borne sparingly be- 

 fore. 



The raspberries were a fine crop this year, the Loudon and Marl- 

 borough being our two best bearers and sellers. 



Strawberries also were a fine crop, but ours being mostly the 

 late varieties were caught by the heavy rains which "made it im- 



