,? 
MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 81 
to one of the committee and remarked, that her husband told 
her that he would wait and she could go and look at the 
weeds. When that gentleman’s soul gets to the spirit land 
among eternal blooming roses and all the other beautiful 
flowers of Heaven—flowers that he can love and with the 
_ power to return his spirited caresses—perhaps then he will 
forget that he ever called the beautiful vegetation of this 
earth by the contemptible title of ‘“ weeds.” How different 
must have been the thoughts of an old gentleman who examined 
minutely many of the plants, and at last remarked that he was 
reminded of what the Queen of Sheba said to King Solomon, 
“ The half was not told me.” 
; Respectfully submitted, 
Wy. H. KeLuey, 
Wo. Cannon, Committee. 
REPORT OF THE HORTICULTURAL DEPARTMENT 
OF THE STATE FAIR. 
BY THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 
LA CRESCENT. 
After reading the reports of the severity of last winter, 
which have appeared so frequently in the agricultural papers 
during the summer, I was most agreeably surprised with the 
exhibition made at the State Fair, September 23-26. Owing to 
a frost in May last, the fruit crop was not very large, and a 
severe drouth had prevailed in the southern part of the State, 
so that in size and appearance the fruit was not fully up to the 
standard of the two previous years; but the exhibition made 
was very creditable, and had a tendency to diffuse new hopes 
in the minds of those who witnessed it. The large stand in 
the west wing of Floral Hall was filled to overflowing with 
choice collections of apples and grapes. Commencing at the 
southeast corner we will give it a careful examination: First 
is Mr. Knapider’s show of grapes, eighteen varieties, natives 
and Roger’s Hybrids, all fine and well ripened, which draws 
the first premium for greatest number by one exhibitor ; next 
to the west of him is a basket of Duchess of Oldenburg apples 
that for size and beauty of appearance cannot be beat this 
year or any other ; a basket of St. Lawrence, several varieties 
of Siberians and a collection of native plums by Mr. Brainard. 
Above these is asplendid display of Siberians, by P. A. Jewell, 
