472 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



apples and more of them to the acre than any other state in the 

 Union. Their society was a state society supported by the people- 

 and it was their dutj^ to educate them along- all the lines of horticul- 

 ture, or their usefulness would cease or only be found recorded on 

 the pages of past histor}'. He estimated that more than $1,000,000 

 was invested in horticulture within the bounds of the state, and rec- 

 ommended that a competent coiumittee be appointed in each dis- 

 trict, whose dut)' it should be to revise the fruit lists and recommend 

 for future planting only such varieties as have proved profitable 

 and are adapted to their localitJ^ "The time has arrived when this 

 can be done. We have varieties that are a success in every part of 

 the state, — varieties that are good only in certain localities, and va- 

 rieties that are nearly worthless everywhere. It is our duty to pre- 

 pare such lists and scatter them broadcast." 



In concluding his address, the president gave some excellent ad- 

 vice to those who would plant orchards. He said that good home 

 grown trees could alwaj^s be found within a short distance of every 

 planter's home, and the}' could be purchased at living rates; so that 

 the trees to plant an acre need not cost to exceed fifteen dollars, and 

 with good care only a few years, the3^ would richly reward the 

 planter. At a low estiinate, they should, at the end of twelve years, 

 average four bushels per tree; and what could be done with the land 

 that would pay so well? But some will say, "In a few years the fruit 

 business will be overdone, and there will be no market for it." My 

 answer is, " It would be a great blessing if the millions of hungry 

 children of the world could all be supplied with enough good fruit." 

 But there is nothing to fear on that score. Having- proper varieties 

 of fruit and healthy trees to produce the best quality, if it is care- 

 fully picked, honestly packed, judiciousl}^ handled and put upon 

 the market in the neatest and best possible condition, it will alwaj-s 

 sell for more than the cost of production, and we will have a 

 market for inore than we can raise." 



Following the president's address the secretar}' read his annual 

 report. In it he alluded to the causes of the failure of the last crop 

 of apples and other fruits, and attributed it largely to the scab fun- 

 gus diseases that prevailed so generallj^ throughout the countrj^ in 

 1892, badl}' injuring the foliage, weakening the growth and prevent- 

 ing the storage of proper nutriment for the jDroduction of a crop 

 this season. 



Miss Etta L. Budd, director of the Melrose Art, School of Des 

 Moines, followed with a paper on "The Laws of Color in Flowers." 

 The laws of color in flowers were so clearly explained that the 

 audience were instructed and edified. At the close she presented a 

 series of rules for makitig tloral designs to secure the richest har- 

 mony. 



Mrs. H. Oslome, of Ames, read a valuable paper on "What Woman 

 has done for Horticxilture," and cited a number of instances where 

 w^omen are making a good livelihood in the various branches of 

 fruit and flower culture. 



A paper by Mrs. L. H. Pummel, of Ames, on "Fruit as a Diet," illus- 

 trated the importance of the dailj' use of fruit as a means of promot- 

 ing health. It was a verj^ able paper. 



