482 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the new members and make them feel at home. That is what the 

 state is supporting us for, to encourage our effort and to encourage 

 new effort. 



I want to congratulate the society upon having secured this 

 beautiful auditorium. We certainly could not have devised a more 

 comfortable place in which to meet and do our business. Let us 

 make the most of it, and let us rejoice that we are so fortunately 

 situated. You will find all the conveniences here, cloak rooms, lav- 

 atory, a lounging parlor, a spacious fruit exhibit room below stairs, 

 and we will not be disturbed by any one in that room unless they 

 make more noise than they ever did before. 



Perhaps I should say that I feel a good deal of hesitation in act- 

 ing in this position. I have never attempted to preside over so 

 large a body before, but I trust I shall have no difficulty in keep- 

 ing you in order. I trust you will be patient with me. I distinctly 

 appreciate the honor of following the two worthy men who preceded 

 me. I cannot hope to say or do the fine things Mr. Underwood did 

 for you ; I cannot sing a song, nor can I show you the beautiful 

 courtesy that is so characteristic of him. I need not speak of the 

 good qualities and capabilities of our late departed president. He 

 was a grand man in every way. I cannot hope to imitate that keen 

 and beautiful humor of his and the many other pleasing character- 

 istics that distinguished him as a presiding officer. And while I 

 cannot imitate my immediate predecessors I trust you will help me 

 in every way possible to make the duties of my position agreeable. 



You will notice on the program that there is a ten minute limit 

 noted on the program for all papers and addresses. That was the 

 idea of the secretary, and I am not responsible for that feature. I 

 do not want you to feel, therefore, that I am at any time acting upon 

 my own suggestion. I am glad, however, it is there. It is just 

 the very thing I would like to see carried out in the conduct of the 

 program during the various sessions, especially among those of the 

 rank and file, and particularly among the older members. Let us 

 all be brief and concise, say what we have to say and be done with 

 it. That is a very strong point in any man, to know when he is 

 through with what he has to say upon a subject. Of course, we 

 have visitors here, and we must ask them to be very patient if we 

 have papers presented here that are of exceeding length. I think 

 it is some of you older fellows who are inclined to transgress in that 

 particular and monopolize the time too much. Let us have plenty 

 of time for discussion. That is the life of the meeting, and therein 

 lies the chief value in the presentation of a subject. The papers 

 will all be published anyway, but we want the discussion. 



Asking you again to be patient and indulgent with me as you 

 have always been with your former presidents, we will proceed with 

 the program. 



The president appointed the following committee on credentials : 

 Messrs. L. R. Moyer, A. A. Bost and H. H. Pond. 



The President: Our general subject this morning is "Small 

 Fruits," and I will call upon Mr. A. Brackett to open the topic with 

 a talk on "Field Culture of Strawberries." (See index.) 



