82 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



interests of nurseryinen, was not taught or considered as much as 

 the g-reat benefits to be derived from it calls for. 



The afternoon session began with a most useful paper by F. W. 

 Kimball, formerly president of the society, on "The Farmer's Fruit 

 and How to Raise It." The whole list of fruits adapted to our state 

 was gone over and valuable suggestions given as to the easiest 

 methods of growing those that are especially adapted to the farmer. 

 At the close of this paper, a discussion was had in regard to the best 

 methods of protecting apple trees froiu sun-scald. A wrapping of 

 wire netting, gunny sacking, lath screen and a board tacked on the 

 south side of the tree being each recommended by different persons. 

 A. W. Latham, secretary of the state society was here introduced to 

 the members and expressed his pleasure in having an opportunity 

 to take a hand in the horticultural work of such, a meeting instead 

 of being engrossed in the cares of the secretary's office. Mr. Pres- 

 cott's paper on " Irrigating in a Small Way" was listened to with 

 marked attention, especially by the small fruit and vegetable grow- 

 ers present. His system consists in the elevation of water from a 

 tubular well to a moderate sized tank, placed fifteen feet from the 

 ground and, perhaps, twentj'^ to twenty-five feet above most of the 

 ground watered. The power used is a cheap and simple one-horse 

 sweep power,the same horse which draws the delivery wagon answer- 

 ing the purpose. The water is conveyed to the ground in pipes and is 

 run along the rows from the higher to the lower end of each row, 

 the pipe or hose being changed when the row is well saturated. 

 Attention was here called to a fine plate of seedling russet apples 

 exhibited by R. A. White, of Twin Lakes. They were evidently very 

 perfect keepers and, although somewhat undersized, of excellent 

 quality. 



"The Plum Orchard," by Dewain Cook, of Windotn, was very en- 

 couraging to those who are attempting to grow this luscious fruit 

 in our climate. The old kinds especially good and profitable are 

 Desota, Wolf and Wyant. The most promising new kinds are Man- 

 kato. Wood, Itasca and Odegaard. The Wolf plum is one of the best 

 to revsist curculio, the Cheney one of the easiest victims of that de- 

 structive pest. 



The evening session was especially arranged to interest citizens, 

 and while the attendance was not all that could be desired, it was 

 larger than at any other similar session held by the society. Music 

 by the Beethoven Choral Association, and a graceful welcome by 

 Mrs. J. A. Fuller, President of the Woman's Improvement League of 

 Albert Lea, opened the exercises. F. W. Kimball, of Austin, re- 

 sponded in behalf of the society, and Hon Eugene Secor, of Forest 

 City, President of the North-East Iowa Society, read the first paper 

 of the evening. His subject was " Ornamental Trees for the Park 

 and Avenue." For street planting, the elm was placed at the head, 

 with hard maple and ash following; for the park he recommended 

 the laurel-leafed willow, coffee tree, European and cut-leafed birch; 

 larch, buckeye, pea tree, hackberry, etc., were mentioned, not for- 

 getting the evergreens and shrubs. 



