STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 225 



been raised in other seasons when there was greater moisture 

 And this is certainly a fact which should not be forgotten, nor 

 soon be overlooked, as it is good and satisfactory evidence of the 

 superior nature of our soil, which may be mentioned to our 

 credit, in common with the well known healthfulness and equa- 

 bility of our climate so well and universally known and 

 recognized by all. As emphasizing somewhat on this point we 

 cite the splendid products of the garden and the field, of vege- 

 tables and grains of every kind, as witnessed at our state and 

 county fairs, and ask those interested to note the happy contrast 

 in our favor to be seen, compared with the productions shown 

 from regions further south and east. We think this picture is 

 in no sense overdrawn and that our claims will more than be 

 sustained in setting forth to all the inherent excellence, fertility 

 and permanency of^our virgin soil. This is, of course, the 

 standard of our faith and why we challenge tlie attention of the 

 outside world; and this is why, perhaj)S, so many sturdy, honest 

 immigrants are constantly inquiring after farms and homes 

 within our State; and furnishes in part the secret of that meas- 

 ure of contentment and prosperity that almost everywhere 

 prevails. And you will pardon reference here, which shall not 

 be indulged beyond the mere suggestion, to point with a becom- 

 ing pride and satisfaction, which all can surely not but recog- 

 nize and feel, at the unparalled developement and growth of 

 Minneapolis and St. Paul, the dual cities of the great northwest! 

 Xow, after this digression, we premise further that in offering 

 such suggestions as may seem of more especial interest to the 

 cause in hand, we wish to briefly call attention to those matters 

 which may be of especial interest to members of our own So- 

 ciety as well as those who are in general desirous of promoting 

 horticultural progress everywhere. For lack of time we can not 

 enter into any lengthy disquisition concerning subjects .which 

 are mentioned here, or incidentally alluded to as proper matters 

 for your own consideration. 



P 



AS TO FRUIT. 



The season, as a whole, has been a fruitful one. Our orchards 

 have produced abundant crops of fruit. Trees which survived 

 the trying ordeal of a previous winter were laden heavily with 

 fruit, although the number of the orchards yielding largely, in 

 the State, are few and far between. There are too many in- 

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