234 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



souvenir of the fruits and the ilowers which come so very near oxxr 

 hearts? 



Mrs. Morrison, at the close of her paper, presented to the society 

 a larg^e picture, handsomely framed, illustrating- her subject, which 

 had been sent to her bj- the Board of Trade of Santa Fe. The 

 thanks of the society were expressed bj'' rising-, and also by a 

 few words from Pres. Underwood. He emphasized the thought 

 that had been impressed upon him froin the beginning of his 

 more intimate relation to the society of the necessity of having a 

 society home, and of his hope in their some time accomplishing 

 this end. And now, with such a beautiful picture to adorn its walls, 

 he thought all the more they needed a place to put it. In the 

 meantime, it should grace the walls of Secretary Latham's oflice. 



FRUITS AND FLOWERS OF TURKEY. 



In a very bright and witty speech, Mr. H. M. Kerechjian, the 

 guest from Armenia, responded. His complimentary references 

 to the hostess of the occasion and high tributes to the civiliza- 

 tion of America, showed himself not behind, at least, in turning 

 language most delicatel}^ and in perceiving the salient points of 

 American character and institutions. With it all, too, he gave much 

 that was both interesting and instructive regarding the horticulture 

 of his country, although he said that it could hardly be called bj' 

 that name, for in that countr3^ the}'^ have such a profusion of nature 

 that they don't tneddle with it. He was impressed with the fact 

 that a republic has unbounded opportunity, and wherever he went 

 every place seemed suitable for a center. Just now Minneajjolis 

 seeined the center of the country, and Villa Rosa the center of the 

 city. His people were somewhat noted for their lack of progress 

 and desire to take a rest. He thought a rest a good thing if it 

 could be taken always in Villa Rosa. 



In Turkey, where nature is so prolific, there is little of art, little 

 of man's effort to further the growth of her products. Ship loads 

 of oranges cotne in from Joppa and yet there is no association to 

 foster the industry or the export of the fruit. Apples, such as wo 

 have never seen or dreamed of in this country, are abundant and so 

 fragrant that a basketful placed in a room fairly makes it dang-erous 

 for a man to sleep there. Then there are whole forests of fig trees, 

 requiring a warm, moist climate, and figs are exported in great abund- 

 ance. Near Constantinople the strawberry is raised. They are of 

 a delicate pink color and are brought into the cit}'' in baskets weigh- 

 ing twelve pounds. Grapes are of a light atnber color, and the 

 skin is so thin that they break simplj' bj^ coming in contact witli 

 the mouth. 



Turkey may be considered the land of the rose, where it is culti- 

 vated for its beaut}', and for the essence it 3'ields. The jasmine; gar- 

 dens, too, are an interesting sight. This is cultivated for its stem, 

 which is used for pipe stems. It is trained on a scaffolding, some- 

 times seventy feet hig'h. Then there are the same flowers as are 

 grown in America, the pink, sweet pea, pansj^ etc. But the cultiva- 

 tion of flowers for their commercial value is hardly an industry as 



