bill presented to our last legislature for the preservation of 
x -over pine lands suffered defeat. It could not have been from 
an intelligent objection to the bill, but rather from lack of time to 
be scome familiar with it and to understand its provisions and to 
appreciate its merits. The legislative committee should be pre- 
pared to lay before each member of the next assembly a copy of 
e bill with an explanation of its provisions, and, with ample time 
iven to properly consider them, surely it would appeal to their 
ntelligent and favorable action and secure the passage of the bill. 
‘he same can be said of the San José scale bill. It was a new ques- 
on that needed to be understood. Our own members did not have 
me to fully consider and comprehend the nature of the bill, so 
iat, unfortunately, some of the most intense opposition came from 
a hem. Under these conditions it was hardly to be expected that the 
legislature would be favorable to it. The bill was all right and only 
6 needed to be understood to appeal to the good sense of every intel- 
 ligent and well informed citizen. Already it is announced that 
he San José scale is in our state and that it passed through last 
‘inter without injury. We areconfronted with even a worse “scale” 
han that. Other states having passed the most stringent laws for 
tamping out the evil have hereby thrown upon Minnesota a fresh 
influx of scaly tree dealers, who rather than furnish the bonds re- 
” _ quired by law to protect the purchaser come to Minnesota and Iowa, 
where unmolested and supported by their friends within our bor- 
- ders, they vigorously ply their trade, full of snares and traps for 
_ the unwary. 
‘The last summer meeting was perhaps the most enjoyable of all 
our gatherings. Coming at a season of the year when nature was 
 atits best, lavish with almost endless varieties of flowers and straw- 
berries, and also held at the State School, nothing was lacking to 
render it complete. There wasa large attendance and an excellent 
program. Every member should be on hand for the next summer 
meeting. In connection with this, I would suggest that our society 
_ arrange with the executive committee of “The American Pomologi- 
2 cal Society ” and the ‘‘ Park and Out-Door Art Association” to meet 
with us. The former society has heretofore only held meetings 
once in two years, but contemplate making a change to annual 
meetings. It has for its members the leading pomologists of the 
United States. An arrangement of this kind would bring together 
an aggregation of interests that would be of incalculable value to 
us and reflect credit on Minnesota. “The Park and Out-Door Art 
_ Association” is a new organization, which has for its object the 
i, 4 improvement of cities and towns, by laying out parks and improv- 
ol ing streets, besides extending its influence to the maintenance of 
good roads in the country, and in every way it upholds the features 
expressed by its name. 
The horticultural interests of our state are steadily improving. 
_ Better methods of culture are being adopted as the requirements 
rt and conditions are more thoroughly understood. New varieties of 
fruits and plants arespringing upin great numbers. It will require 
careful and systematic work to properly record their value, and our 
