426 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the help and encoura<fenient of the state societ}', they might become 

 a most important factor in developing' the resources of our state 

 and beautifjnng and ennobling its homes. 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



ANNUAL MEETING SOUTHERN MINNESOTA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



F. \v. KIMBALL, Austin. 



Friends and Patrons of Horticulture: "What are we here for?" 

 Surely not for the reason implied by the question of the delegate 

 from Texas. Were the test of fitness an entire lack of horticultural 

 knowledge and experience, I might consider myself a first-class 

 candidate for any position in your gift. I accepted this position as 

 a seeming necessity, that I might in a small way help this society 

 in its start, and I trust you will so regard it. Being a lover of all 

 kinds of ff uit, I have always taken an interest in horticulture, but 

 have been so situated that it is only of late that it could find expres- 

 sion. It was, perhaps, onl}^ opportunity that was neeeded to make 

 me an enthusiastic devotee of horticulture, and I am now in a small 

 way trying to carry to a practical solution the dream of boyhood 

 and the oft-time wish of after life. 



When of late I commenced to read more fully the state horticul- 

 tural reports and in a sinall way correspond with horticulturists, 

 asking questions freely, I was surprised at what thorough and sj^s- 

 tematic work was being done in this line, and I became convinced 

 that good could be accomplished in a small way bj^ a count}' society. 

 Then, without previous consultation, Mr. Wedge proposed this larger 

 organization; and this, our first regular meeting, is the result of a few- 

 friends of horticulture getting together and perfecting an organiza- 

 tion, the intent being to hold winter ineetings alternately here and 

 at Albert Lea, thus making it within the reach of all. 



While I cannot teach you anything relating to horticulture, Mr. 

 Wedge, our secretary, is amply able to do so, and he has succeeded 

 in interesting many of his horticultural friends to be with us, among 

 whom is Mr. J. S. Harris, the pioneer of horticulture in this state, 

 and of whom it can be said no man in this great state stands higher 

 or has given more ungrudgingly of his time and means to develop 

 the great interest he has so near his heart. We expect much, also, 

 of Mr. Dartt, of Owatonna, one of our pioneer nurserymen now con- 

 ducting a state experimental station at Owatonna, who undoubtedly 

 can tell us of many failures, and I hope of some successes — ^it is 

 through our failures that we finally learn the way to success. We 

 have with us also Mr. Mitchell, of Cresco, Iowa, a nurseryman and 

 orchardist of long standing, who is highly honored in his own state 

 and section, and of whom we are in hopes to learn many things; and 

 who can tell us some valuable things learned in the disaster of 1873. 

 We also hope for the presence of Mr. E. Gaylord, of Nora Springs, 

 Iowa, who has given much thought and study to the subject and 

 has given the world many valuable suggestions, and T am in hopes 

 he can give us valuable aid. 



It seems to me that almost a new epoch has opened in fruit grow- 

 ing in this section. We can start in avoiding most of the errors of 



