482 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



have always been loyal, have passed away entirely. The great glory of this 

 society is to come yet. We are growing faster and faster, our membership 

 is increasing faster, the interest of those who attend the meetings is growing 

 constantly, and we have good reason to "thank the Lord and take courage" 

 in the future. The best thing that we can do in this world, the one that con- 

 tributes most to our happiness — and that is the great secret of life, is to do our 

 duty as well as it can be done, not as well as we know how to do it, but as 

 well as we can do it. Whether we are struck by a rich or a plain man the 

 pain is just as great, and I would rather have a man working against the 

 right who knows he is working against the right, than one who sincerely be- 

 lieves he is right but is just as far out of the way as the other one, because 

 he has the reputation of being honest and sincere, and his words will carry 

 conviction ; and if he goes in the wrong direction, takes the wrong part, think- 

 ing it is right, he will do more harm than the one who takes the wrong path 

 knowing he is wrong. So I say again, it is our duty not to do simply as 

 well as we know how, not to follow oyt the course we may think is right, 

 but to get down to bed rock, and be sure that that course is the right one — 

 and that is what we are undertaking to do in this organization. Find out 

 what is right ! Throw all our preconceived notions to the winds ! Let them 

 go if the evidence seems to be against them ! — and we must find out what that 

 evidence is and duly weigh it, and if it is against us let us get over on to 

 the right side just as soon as we can. 



I will not take up much of your time this morning. There is plenty to do, 

 and there are plenty here to do it, and wc all want to hear from them, and I 

 do sincerely and heartily invite every one that is here this morning to profit by 

 this meeting. 



We have changed our place of meeting to one that is more roomy than 

 the one we were in the habit of using, and it looks as though this was going 

 to be none too large, and that fact is worthy of note and of congratulation. 

 We have reason to congratulate the society that we are starting out so well at 

 this meeting. 



I think the preliminary business has all been disposed of, and we are 

 now ready to take up our regular program, and I trust every one will feel per- 

 fectly free to take part in the discussions, and to make the discussion of each 

 subject as practical as possible. 



The General Subject for this morning is the "Mechanical Preparation of 

 the Soil in Fruit Culture." 



"Stib-soiling as a Preparation for Fruit Culture." David Secor, 

 Winnebago City. (See index.) 



Discussion. 



"Subsoiling as a Preparation for Fruit Culture." Frank Yalinke, 

 Winona. (See index.) 



"Methods of Plowing as a Preparation for Planting Fruits." 

 Prof. Wm. Robertson, St. Anthony Park. (See index.) 



Discussion. 



"Protection from Drought and Winter-Killing." G. D. Taylor, 

 Fulda. (See index.) 



Discussion. 



