414 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and 3,654 bushels were bought and shipped by one merchant, and 

 this is only one drop in the bucket of what the whole county pro- 

 duced." Another from Mower, "One farmer, in 1898, grew eight 

 hundred bushels, and the county, as a whole, grew its share of the 

 estimated 800,000 bushels for the state." Another from Freeborn, 

 "Should estimate that not far from ten bushels of apples were 

 raised on each quarter section." Of course the above figures are 

 for the known abundant year of 1898: The yield of 1899 was from 

 no per cent to perhaps fifty per cent for individual farmers. The 

 yield for 1900 would have made a good showing if it had not been 

 for the early dropping, just as the eastern crop would have been im- 

 mense if the great wind storm had not done its premature harvest- 

 ing. As for berries and vegetables, if only the effort is made we 

 need no sympathy from and ought to ofifer no excuse to any other 

 section of our wide domain. 



Now, brother members of the state society, I think you will 

 agree with me, that our district is spacious enough, it's soil and 

 other requisites are sufficiently ample and that some members of 

 our society are fully alive to the interests of horticulture and able 

 in the discussion of topics relating thereto: but why cannot the 

 ■present nucleus of members succeed in getting a much larger per 

 cent to attend our meetings and thereby become more deeply inter- 

 ested in this branch of farming? Tell us how to arouse the lethar- 

 gic, to allay personal pique arising from business, political and so- 

 cial experiences, to weaken ultra-selfishness that would not bestow 

 a little on another while receiving much for oneself! 



I must stop moralizing, yet facts are what we must face in this 

 world, not theory. It is well for us at these annual gatherings to 

 enjoy the good things of intellectual and social feasts, but it is more 

 important that we carefully, justly and clearly consider ways and 

 means for more improvement and greater success in those lines of 

 effort and fields of action where there seems to be the most friction 

 and surrounded by many unfavorable circumstances. 



Why cannot there be more local societies better supported, 

 thus extending the good work into many fields, the parent society 

 thus stronger for its special sphere of action? 



We ask you for light, help and encouragement, not only for 

 our own success and usefulness, but that other sections of our grand 

 state may be induced by our good and effectual works to arise and 

 organize local societies for the upbuilding of the good cause locally 

 as well as the strengthening of the parent society. 



