JOURNAL OF ANNUAL MEETING, I9O3. $11 



labors, it seems to me we would not have a hall large enough in the 

 city to hold the members of this organization. Our friend Yahnke 

 is right when he says we are proud we have fifteen hundred members, 

 but we ought to have three, four or five times as many ,and with a 

 little effort we shall get them. (Applause.) 



The Chairman : That is the right kind of enthusiasm. With a 

 feeling like that on the part, of every member we are bound to grow. 

 We have with us a young lady from Wisconsin who is making quite 

 a record with seedling apples, and has taken several premiums here. 

 We would like to hear from Miss Cairns. 



Miss Gertrude M. Cairns (Wis.) : It is a great surprise to me to 

 be called upon, because I certainly did not expect to say anything, 

 at least no more than to ask a few questions, and I have not asked 

 many because there have been so many good things said there was 

 no time to get them in. I am very glad to be here and to have 

 been able to attend the meeting of this society. I was up here two 

 years ago. I was somewhat afraid of you before I came here the 

 first time. I felt that I would be out of place. However, you made 

 me feel so much at home, and I found so much inspiration in your 

 meeting, that I was anxious to come back again. I could not come 

 last year, but I found I could this year. I have been interested in 

 these meetings for many years. It seems to me if we can make oth- 

 ers know how much there is to learn here from those who are inter- 

 ested, that even those who grow fruit in a small way only would be- 

 come interested, and that the wish expressed by one of your mem- 

 bers would come true, that people would come to the meeting because 

 there are so many things that can be carried away and made use of, 

 even by those who are not extensively engaged in horticultural pur- 

 suits. As far as my seedling apples are concerned, I brought them 

 up here to show what can be done and what has been done under 

 practically the same conditions that exist in parts of your state, to 

 show you that apples can be raised from seed, and as my seedlings 

 are raised only comparatively a few miles from Mr. Philips' place, 

 it carries out the thought in speaking of that work that good apples 

 may be obtained from seeds, and that some are hardy. At least these 

 seem to be hardy. I think the paper which was published in the last 

 number of the "Horticulturist" gives all that I know in regard to 

 these seedlings, and I will only say that they seem in every way 

 perfectly hardy and good bearers. (Applause.) 



Mr. C. M. Loring: I was much struck with what one gentle- 

 man said in regard to plums, and I believe that fruit ought to be 

 improved. I want to say here, Mr. President, that in order to stimu- 

 late that effort a premium should be offered, even though a small 

 one, and I want to offer a premium next year for the best plum. 

 (Applause.) 



The Chairman : We have a few minutes more time, and I will 

 call upon Mr. Wheaton for a few words. 



Mr. D. T. Wheaton : It has afforded me a great deal of pleas- 

 ure, as it always does, to be here. I have always been interested in 

 fruit, especially in apples. I love apples, and before coming to Min- 

 nesota lived in a state where apples grew plentifully. But the ap- 

 ples I had to eat when I was a boy do not compare with the apples 



