68 ANNUAL EEPOKT 



field at all times as the exigencies of the situation demanded, and the 

 instruction in our particular interests] has come far short of meeting 

 the expectations of many of our members, and those most deeply in- 

 terested in the success of this class of work. The Farmers' Institute 

 I consider one of the best mediums, when rightly conducted, for the 

 dissemination of practical horticultural information among our farm- 

 ing population. In selecting and sending out those who are success- 

 ful experts in their particular class of industry, it should be our high- 

 est aim to send out such instructors as are not bigoted and have no 

 scheme to push for their own selfish ends outside of giving horticul- 

 tural instruction, and unless we can find such instructors I think we 

 should hesitate before recommending any one for this position. I do 

 not wish to be understood as casting any reflections, but simply to 

 guard against any contingencj' of this kind in the future. We must 

 carefully consider the qualifications of our horticultural lecturers and 

 feel sure they are worthy of the places they hold; if not our claim to 

 the position of an intelligent, progressive horticultural society may 

 be justly criticised. 



OWATONNA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



The Owatonna Experiment Station, created by special act at the 

 last session of the legislature, has been started on the State School 

 Farm under the care of E. H. S. Dartt, superintendent. Our Society 

 has been honored in the selecting as superintendent of this station 

 one of our members who has been long identified ^ith the horticultu- 

 ral interests of the State, and whose experience in the past will help 

 him very materially in deciding what to plant, as well as what not to 

 plant. The task, allotted to him, to develop a practical, profitable, in- 

 structive example of object teaching to those children that will come 

 in daily contact with his work, I hope will impress him with the great 

 responsibility that rests upon him; and ample means should be pro- 

 vided for carrying on the experiments in such a way as will tend to 

 store these young minds with knowledge that in after years will help 

 them and us to solve the great problem of successful fruit culture in 

 this State 



I regret to report to you its beginning under adverse circumstances. 

 The policy pursued by our legislature in not making available an ap- 

 propriation to car»*y on an enterprise that is fraught with so much of 

 benefit to the minds of those children dependent upon the State for 

 support and education seems narrow. The supporters of this measure 



