496 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, — 
the residents of villages throughout the state. There is not a ham- 
let in the whole state that is not interested in the reports you are 
sending out. Iconsider them the most important towards building 
up the most successful interest in the state of any reports that are 
sent out by the state, and I was very glad to do what I was able to 
do towards having the publication of your reports continued. 
(Applause). : 
Mr. Van Houten, (Iowa): Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: I 
do not know that I shall appear before you again, and I wish to take 
a few moments of your time to speak upona matter which I wish to 
bring to your attention. Before speaking about the matter in ques- 
tion I desire on behalf of myself and Mr. Wragg, who is too modest 
to speak in his own behalf, to thank you for the many courtesies 
you have extendedtous. We have been very agreeably entertained, 
and we are very grateful for all you have done forus. We hope to 
see some of you at our Iowa horticultural meeting next Tuesday, 
also at the meeting of the Southwestern society, which meets at 
Glenwood a week from next Tuesday. 
The educational matter I desire to speak about is this: There has 
been for some years an effort made on behalf of the horticulturists 
and agriculturists to get up a reading circle on horticultural and 
agricultural topics. We have now the Missouri Horticultural Soci- 
ety and some others interested in this work, and as the lecturer of 
the Iowa State Grange I am authorized to act on behalf of the state 
grange. We also have the support of the Iowa Agricultural Col- 
lege, and also hope to have the co-operation of the Iowa society, 
which meets next week, and we hope to have the help of Minnesota. 
We must have Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Nebrsska, and later 
we hope to get Illinois and other states. If you desire to co-operate 
with us in this idea, we shall be very much pleased. We propose 
to put books treating on those topics in the homes of the people in 
the various states, and in this way we hope to doa great deal of 
good for horticulture, and by-and-by the people will realize the 
benefit of it to themselves in an educational way. I, as one of the 
agricultural editors of the state of lowa, am bringing this matter 
before the people, and I know I have the hearty co-operation of the 
other editors, who feelas Ido about the matter, and we must get 
the assistance of the editor and printer in general, as our success 
depends upon it. Ido not propose to take up any more of your 
time on the matter, but I do hope we may interest you and the 
others in this work. The interest created in the horticultural devel- 
opment will be of inestimable value. (Applause). 
The President: We will now pass on to our regular 
program, and take up the subject of ‘‘ Flowers.” 
‘‘The Farmer’s Flower Garden.” Mrs. Anna B. Underwood, 
Lake City. (See index). 
‘‘Some Old Fashioned Perennials and Their Care.” Mrs. 
A. A. Kennedy, Hutchinson. (See index). 
