YOUR CORNER. 165 



a numl>er of Thompson's seedlings, which have made a vigorous 

 growth: like the Okabena, they are free from blight, but have not 

 fruited yet. Wm. Somerville. 



Viola, Minn., March 11, 1896. 



FiLLMOKE Co. Horticultural Society.— We had a good meeting 

 of our society at Spring Valley, February 15th. The weather was 

 cold and stormy, but the attendance was good. The secretaxy of our 

 State Horticultural Society had kindly sent copies of the monthly 

 '• Minnesota Horticulturist " for distribution at the meeting, and the 

 president urged all present to join the parent society so they might 

 regularly receive the magazine. An address Ijy C. K. (iardner, 

 Osage. Iowa, on " The Apple and Irrigation of Small Fruits;" a paper 

 by J. Marshall on "The Farmer's Garden;" and an address by R. C. 

 Livingston on "The Fruit Tree Business" were good and called 

 forth considerable discussion. An addition of ten new members.on 

 such a cold day, surely indicates that our infant society is not easily 

 "winter-killed." A summer meeting will be held at Preston in 

 strawberry time. R. Parkhill, Secy. 



Chatlield, Feb. '26, 1896 



The Massachusetts State Horticultural Society want to move 

 soon, and propose to sell their hall and the land under it for $.S00,0OO. 

 The financial committee expect to be offered this amount and build 

 a new hall. ******** 



In September, I860, I attended the seventh convention of the Am. 

 Pom. Society, at Philadelphia, with Barry, Wilder, Downing. War- 

 der, Elliott, Thomas, Meehan and a host of others. Of that company, 

 how few remain! It has been mj' fortune and my boast that I have 

 not failed to be present at a single convention since 1860. This is 

 not so with another horticulturist in America. Thomas Meehan 

 lives yet. He has four or five very active and intelligent sons, active 

 in horticultural pursuits. I have five sons, three of whom are direct- 

 ing the labor of thousands of workers in different landscaping 

 operations. Jacob M. Manning. 



Reading, Mass., March 17, 1896. 



A new Swindle on Fruit Trees in Southwestern Minnesota. As this 

 was a mild winter, it was the winter for the tree agents to work (heir 

 sham again on the farmers of southwestern Minnesota. 



A set of agents were here from Princeton, 111 . claiming they ha<l 

 the right kind of fruit trees for Minnesota. To prove this to the 

 farmers, they get hold of a big sucker of a farmer, tell him that 

 they will furnish the trees and shrubbery and will plant it all them- 

 selves, and at the same time plant two rows of Russian mulberry 

 trees around the outside for a windbreak. They agree to do all this 

 and wait three years for these trees to prove they are what they 

 claim. After the three years, if the fruit trees are in a fine and 

 healthy condition, then the farmers will have to pay for the whole 

 stock at the low price mentioned in the contract and seven percent, 

 interest. The farmer has to cultivate and take care of the trees ac- 

 cording to their directions. No note is given. The first deal was 



