sumMbr meeting, 1904. 261 



Seats were provided at the table for the picnic dinner of the 

 society in sufficient number for the members present and accom- 

 panying friends, and tickets were issued to all entitled to them, so 

 that every one present was amply cared for. It may be proper to 

 suggest here that every member attending this annual picnic gather- 

 ing should bring with him his share of the picnic dinner, as also 

 enough more to accommodate any friends that may come along. 

 There is no fund to draw from for this festive occasion except the 

 contributions of the members. 



The forenoon was spent, as usual, in looking about the grounds, 

 although the rain of the night before interfered somewhat with 

 this part of the entertainment. Prof. F. L. Washburn had a two- 

 wheeled machine standing on the lawn designed to be used in spray- 

 ing nursery stock, providing nozzles for directing the spray both 

 up among the foliage and down upon it. Tests were given with 

 this, and the machine was examined with interest. 



At two o'clock the hall was put in shape for the regular afternoon 

 session. Across the front end of the hall and along one side, in 

 great profusion, were banked the flowers shown, making a very 

 attractive setting for the meeting. No formal program had been 

 prepared and all that was said was impromptu, much in the nature 

 of an object lesson, as many of the talks were accompanied by ex- 

 hibits of flowers and fruit. 



In the absence of Dean Liggett, Prof. Green appropriately wel- 

 comed the society to the Experiment Station, and President Wedge, 

 who presided over the meeting, made a suitable response. 



Mr. F. F. Farrar, of White Bear, was then called upon, and, 

 with a dozen plates of choice strawberries before him on the table, 

 he discussed in a practical and interesting way on the different 

 sorts of berries grown at his place. As no shorthand reporter was in 

 attendance it is impossible to give even a gist of these talks, which 

 it would have been quite difficult to have rendered well in any case 

 with the continuous references to the fruit shown. 



Mr. Wyman Elliot followed with a brief description of two or 

 three new varieties growing at the place of his nephew, Mr. H. W. 

 Shuman, at Excelsior. 



Mr. A, Brackett, of Excelsior, upon invitation, also spoke briefly 

 on methods of cultivating strawberries. 



Mr. John Nordine, of the Jewell Nursery Company, upon re- 

 quest, exhibited a number of varieties of roses and peonies that were 

 specially- popular sorts and described their good points and special 

 methods of cultivation useful in each case. 



