secretary's corner. 319 



revising these two popular works, which were prepared originally as text 

 books for his classes in the state agricultural school. Both of them have been 

 very generally adopted as text books in similar schools throughout the country. 

 The changes made in them are so extensive as to require the entire resetting of 

 both books. Large editions of these works have been disposed of, mostly in the 

 northwest, though they are almost equally adapted to all parts of the country. 

 The revision will undoubtedly largely increase the demand for them as it will 

 their value. 



A Very Early Plum.— J. M. Underwood, of Lake City, sent to this office 

 July 27 a seedling plum, fully ripe, of good quality and of large, not extra 

 large, size. In color and marking it closely resembles the Miner plum, of 

 which it may be a seedling; but this seems unlikely as it is so extremely early, 

 and the Miner is of the very latest. Who is ripening a good plum earlier than 

 this? 



The Hardiness of Plants. — I was much interested last summer in com- 

 paring notes with some English gardeners. Along the line of hardiness, for 

 instance, I was told that in central England the ordinary hydrangea, which is 

 so hardy here, was pretty sure to kill to the ground and even to kill out en- 

 tirely, and that it was not a satisfactory plant on this account. And yet, this 

 was in a section where they can grow a wonderful variety of plants which 

 would scarcely be hardy in southern Ohio. S. B. GreEN. 



"Can Early Varieties of Apples be Kept in Cold Storage for the 

 Winter Meeting?"— Yes, without difficulty. They should be carefully picked 

 by hand to avoid bruising, each specimen wrapped in paper and tightly packed 

 in a box so they can not jar about, and sent at once by express to cold storage, 

 as directed. They should not be allowed to become fully ripe on the trees but 

 be gathered while still firm and hard, as they keep better at this stage than 

 when fully matured. Try this for all early varieties for state fair or winter 

 meeting. 



Photographs of Fruits, Etc. — If any of our readers have already or 

 should have taken photographs of fruit trees, orchards, fruit gardens, orna- 

 mental trees or shrubs, evergreens, windbreaks, etc., anything that would be 

 of interest to the horticultural public, they are requested to communicate with 

 the secretary in regard to them, as such pictures can be used to good advantage 

 in illustrating our monthly. Photographs of new varieties of apple trees raised 

 from the seed are especially desirable, accompanied by suitable description. 

 What can you send us? 



The State Fair Premium List. — For purposes of preservation and con- 

 venient reference, the list of premiums offered by the Minnesota State Fair on 

 fruits and flowers is printed in full in this issue. Those contemplating exhibit- 

 ing or interested in the subject will find it worth while to give this list careful 

 study. Very few of our members but could exhibit something for a premium 

 that is noted in it. The horticultural department of the fair needs many new 

 exhibitors this year. Look the list over and see what you can show, notifying 

 Sec'y E. W. Randall, Hamline, Minn., of your wish and ask for a premium 

 list so that you may study the regulations, to be found on page 100 of the 

 premium list. Send something to the fair. 



