492 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



SECRETARY'S ANNUAL REPORT. 



A. \V. LATHAM. 



Mr. President and Fellow Members of the Minnesota State Horti- 

 cultural Society: 



The twent3'-first published report of the transactions of this 

 societj', issued during the current year, holds its own as to size, be- 

 ing in fact an increase of ten pages over that of 1892. In editing it I 

 have followed the order of arrangetnent in the previous volumes 

 that have come from my hand, and classified, as far as possible, the 

 papers and discussions that it contains. The usual number of vol- 

 vimes has been printed, nameljs 2,000 cloth and 1,500 paper-bound, and 

 about the same number was distributed as last year. 



Mem hers h ip. 

 In a general way our society has prospered during the 5'ear, 

 though it has, on the whole, been a rather unfortunate one for the 

 practical horticulturist, who has not received, in man}' cases, the 

 usual reward for his labors. The annual meinbership numbered 370, 

 as against 296 for the j^ear before, being an increase of 80. The life 

 membership has also been increased by the addition of one honor- 

 ary and two paid members, with, as far as I can learn, no decrease 

 from their ranks on account of death, the present number of life 

 members being 4:7. Of honorary meinbers for five j'ears we number 

 on our roll 14, making a present total inembership of 437. This re- 

 cord makes the Minnesota society, without doubt, one of the strong- 

 est organizations of its kind in America, and places upon it obliga- 

 tions that, .we think, the society is in good faith and with reasonable 

 success carrj'ing out. 



Offering Premiums. 



Of the annual membership sixty-one came as a result of a plan of 

 offering premiums to new members. It was nearly the- middle of 

 April when the advertisements connected with these premiums were 

 sent out to the press of the state. It was well advertised gratuitously- 

 by a large portion of the papers solicited, the list of which is to be 

 published in the forthcoming .report. But on account of the late- 

 ness of the season the response was not large, the first one being- re- 

 ceived April 18th, and most of the others within two or three weeks 

 froin that date. The following is a copy of the offer in full: 



?IINNKSOTA PLANTS OFFERED FREE. 



The Minnesota State Horticultural Society, to increase its nietnbership to 1,00») 

 during this Columbian year, offers to each new member for 1893 making applica- 

 tion directly to the secretary five horticultural premiums worth 25 cents each — 

 total $1.25. 



In addition to the premiums new members will be entitled to all the prii-i- 

 /cjcres of the soc/eO'. including a handsome cloth-bound copy of the report of IS'.W, 

 about 4(X) pages, sent postpaid, and some of the back reports by express, if desired, 

 wdiile the surplus holds out. 



The following is a list of the premiums: 



Group One— From the Mendenhall CJreenhouses, Minneapolis: Lot 1, two gera- 

 niums (assorted); lot 2. four pansies (assorted) ; lot 3, two daisies and one nianettia 

 vine: lot 4, one heliotrope and one tea rose. 



Group Two — From Martin W. Cook's Xurscrj-, Rochester: Lot 1, four Stone's 

 Hardy blackberries; lot 2, six Turner red raspberries; lot 3, eight Warlield and 

 four Bederwood strawberries: lot 4, eight Crescent and four Jessie strawberries; 

 lot 5, twelve WarHeld strawberries. 



Group Three— From L. L. May <fe Co. Seedsmen, .'^t. Paul (their choice): Lot 1, 

 ten varieties of flower seeds; lot 2, ten varieties of vegetable seeds. 



Group Four-From tlic Jewell .Nursery Co., Lake City: I.,ot 1, two Concord 

 grapes, 1 year; lot 2, ten arl)or vitae, I to (> inches; lot 3, lift j' seedling ash ; lot 4, 

 one Tartarian honeysuckle: lot 5, one American ivy. 



(iroup Five-Ivot 1, six months subscrii)tiou to " Farm, Stock and Home " (new 

 subscribers i : lot 2, si.x mouths subscription to " Farmers' Minneapolis Tribune." 



Mr. J. S. Harris, of La Crescent, otfers to each of the first KK) who recjuest it at 

 the time of joining, four new Russian apple trees, 2 to 3 feet high, to be sent by ex- 

 press next fall. 



K:ich new member can select one lot i and one only i from each of the above five 

 groups and notify the secretary by numbers of his clioice, enclosing one dollitr. 

 the annual fee ofthis society. "The lots selected will be sent free postpaid. 



Remit and make application to 



A. W. LATHAM, Secretary. 



Excelsior, Minn. 



