SECRETARY’S CORNER. 79 
CALIFORNIA VERSUS MINNESOTA.—Our fellow member, Jas. T. 
Grimes, has returned from a visit to California, made since our 
annual meeting, and has been fortunate, as he believes, in exchang- 
ing a fruit ranch there for a good solid Minnesota farm at North- 
field. The bug,the worm and the insidious fungus are making 
rapid encroachments on the fruit growing interests of the Pacific 
state, saying nothing of the rapidly developing fruit interests of 
localities only half way there. Mr. Grimes is wise in “changing” in 
time. His experience in this industry in both localities proves him 
not dissatisfied with the state of.things at home. 
THE NEW STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY BOARD.—Do we like it? 
Wedo. In fact it so much resembles the old one that it is hard to 
tell the difference. Mr. John Cooper, of St. Cloud, takes the place of 
President Weaver at the head of the board,and the balance is as 
before. The friends of Maj. McGinnis and “Jim” Letson had to 
hustle a little,but on the final ballot both were elected unanimously, 
and the utmost good feeling prevailed. With this honest, capable 
and experienced management the state fair should take another 
good step upward this year in making the next annual fair a little 
the best we have ever had yet—and they are going to do it. 
A HORTICULTURAL CLUB AT PARK RAPIDS.—A local club in the 
interest of horticulture has just been organized at Park Rapids, in 
our state. The president predicts “a howling succeess” and a mem- 
bership of twenty-five or more to advocate our cause. 
The time is evidently at hand when the interest in our art aroused 
by the activity and influence of the state society is to bear fruit in 
the form of organized local effort. No special move has been 
made by our officers to bring this about, but itis being done by a 
natural process which always brings together for further and more 
effective service those in whom has been aroused a common inter- 
est. A strong central organization loyally supported, as is ours, is 
neceszarily the source of the widely spreading influence which is 
bringing about this result. 
ARE YOUR FRUITS WELL PROTECTED?—Prof. S. B. Green, has 
called attention to this important subject, and the secretary can do 
no better than quote his language: 
“Tn the next issue of the Horticulturist,I think it important to say 
something about the desirability of having strawberry beds covered 
deeply in winters when the ground is bare of snow. This was 
plainly shown, you will.remember, two years ago by the general 
failure of strawberry beds where they were only thinly covered and 
the general success of them where they had been deeply covered. 
You remember O. C. Gregg brought this point out very plainly at 
his place. In fact, I think his success that year was due almost 
entirely to his heavy covering. This isa good time to bring this 
matter before our society.” 
With the ground so devoid of snow protection and so dry as at 
the present writing, it would be well to remember also that all 
fruits will endure the expected severe weather better with a good 
