ANNUAL MEETING, IOWA HORT. SOCIETY. 85 
Wednesday morning, President’s Address, Eugene Secor, Forest 
City. Horticulturists are home builders. They are not prompted 
by love of money, but by love of the useful and the beautiful, to 
clothe land with all that contributes to our pleasures and happi- 
ness by adapting the bountiful provisions of nature to our own 
use; and though we have met with wonderful success in the past» 
when contrasting the wild fruits and flowers of the past with those 
of the present, there is much yet to be accomplished. Faithful 
records must be made of successes and failures; that the necessary 
information can be had for future work. 
In nature the birds scatter the seed as of old and the bees with 
pollen perform the marriage ceremony, but we must learn the se- 
crets of nature’s ways to bring the millennium of better, healthier 
food and more enjoyments of life. Horticulture is the product of 
civilization. No barbarian cultivates, wild fruits do for him, and as 
they were before we came, we do not go beyond nature’s limits in 
their study andimprovement. This is the purpose, end and aim of 
our society, adding to present knowledge and looking to the future 
with hope. 
Delegates presented their credentials from the Northwestern So- 
ciety, from Wisconsin and from this society,and were elected as 
honorary members—Mr. Clemens, from the Northwestern, Mr. Coe, 
from this. Mr. Dart and Mr. Wedge were also made honorary mem- 
bers. 
Paper. “Our Apple List,’ Elmer Reeves. List not satisfactory; no 
late one made; a full descriptive list very desirable. Discussion. 
Mr. Burnap would have a committee to give such a list. Mr. Dart 
would accept lists of nurserymen that grow their own trees. Mr. 
Guilford said nurseries sell anything, grown anywhere, from Mex- 
ico to Minnesota. Would not consult nor trust any nurseryman’s 
catologue, would deal only with honest men in tree planting. Lists 
adapted to one locality, useless in another; consult those who have 
experience, Cresco, Iowa Falls, Albert Lea, &c, good places to buy 
trees for northern Iowa. 
Paper. “My Workin the Orchard,” G. A.Ivins, Iowa Falls. Allows 
no slip shod work; skill essential. Fruit includes apples, cherries 
and plums. Cultivates till August. At12 or more years of age fer- 
tilizes, heavily; cannot be too rich for plum trees. Prunescarefully a 
little each year. Finds the best results from early spring pruning. 
Prunes cherries same as apples, painting the wounds. Small fruits 
between the trees; uses protector when small; has no experience in 
spraying; cultivates shallow. For curculio depends on shaking 
and chickens; digs up for blight. Commercial planting a good in- 
-vestment. Wragg cherry the hardiest early, long lived; quality 
good. Cleans out rotten spots on trees with a knife and applies 
grafting wax. Discussion. Mr. True would only prune in June; 
cover with wax. 
Paper. “Commercial Orchards for the Northwest,” J. S. Trigg, 
Rockford. Wehave no long keepers of good quality. Best fall 
fruits the only dependence. Wealthy first. Top-grafting will se- 
_ cure longer life. Many conditions involved in a commercial orchard: 
