STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 37 



head of horned stock on the place and about two hundred sheep. 

 A part of our sheep you will find in that field are thoroughbred 

 Shropshires: they were imported. The others are common 

 scrubs that we picked up anywhere we could last winter to eat 

 up the feed and to get grade lambs from. Those will all be 

 turned off to the butcher by the first of September. We will 

 keep a few of the leading breeds for illustration. We shall do 

 this so that the young men who come here can distinguish the 

 difference between the different breeds of sheep as well as be- 

 tween an Ayreshire, a Jersey, and a Shorthorn. We want them 

 not only to look in a book to learn what a cow is, but to sit 

 down and milk her. feed and take care of her. That is the way 

 to make practical farmers. 



Xot to detain you too long, I wish to say that we have just 

 made a commencement; we hare a vast amount to do. There 

 are buildings to be erected and fences to be built, and fields to 

 be cleaned, and we don't want to do it all at once. If we do 

 it all to-day there will be nothing to show these boys next 

 year. But when you come out here next year we want to show 

 you some improvement. We want to have you come and will 

 be glad to see you at any time, except on Sundays, when our 

 gates are not open. Thanking you for your attendance, we hope 

 to see you again another year. 



I would be very thankful to the representatives of the horti- 

 culturists and farmers of Minnesota for suggestions, assistance 

 and advice. This farm is established in your interest. If you 

 have new plans, new ideas and new stock, I shall be very glad 

 to have you indicate your views in order that we may put your 

 suggestions into the line of exi)erimentation and report upon 

 the same. We expect after a little to issue a quarterly bulletin 

 that will give the results of experiments on the farm. These will 

 be scattered broadcast, and sent out to the newspapers of the 

 State. We invite suggestions and honest, legitimate criticism. 

 But we don't want anybody to say, '• Whydon'tyou do this, and 

 why don't you do so and so?" unless you can show us a better 

 way. 



]\Ir. Jackson. Mr. Chairman, I have been deeply interested 

 in the remarks of Prof. Porter. I want to say that you are doing 

 a work in this State Horticultural Society that is wider than the 

 State of Minnesota. I was at Bismarck a fews days since and I 

 found peoi)le there who were anxious to know what you are do- 

 ing down here in the way of raising fruit. There was with our 



