STATE HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY. 4:19 



The meeting yesterday was devoted largely to grape culture. Mr. 

 Buck presented a list of twenty-nine varieties with which he had had 

 experience, and explained the excellence of each. The next meeting 

 will be held the first Friday in May." 



In its issue of May 5th the Free Press says : 



" The recently organized horticultural society held a meeting at Mr. 

 Daniel Buck's office yesterday afternoon and completed an organiza- 

 tion. A constitution and by-laws was adopted. The name of the 

 organization is 'The Southwestern Minnesota Horticultural Society.' " 



The annual meeting will occur on the first Friday of October, while 

 the next meeting will beheld June 1st. Considerable interest is being 

 displayed in this work, and it is expected that the society will attain 

 a large membership. 



McLEOD COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The following papers were read at the annual meeting of the Mc- 

 Leod County Horticultural Society. 



GRAPE GROWING FOR FARMERS. 

 By John S. Harris, La Crescent. 



Mr. President and Oentlemen : 



I am an ardent admirer of the grape fruit. It is a luxury that ev. 

 ery farmer ought to be able to furnish for the use of his family in un- 

 limited quantities. You are all familiar with its history and growing 

 importance in this country, so that I need not take up your valuable 

 time with pretty preliminaries and prefaces, but confine myself brief- 

 ly to those methods that in my own experience have brought certain 

 success. 



I will start out with the bro^ assertion that good grapes can be 

 successfully grown in many portions of Minnesota by all who select a 

 suitable location and soil, plant the right varieties and give suitable 

 attention to the preparation of the soil, planting and management. 

 The best location for planting a grape vine is one that is high and 

 airy and near lakes, rivers or other considerable bodies of water. A 

 southern or southeastern aspect is the best for this climate, for the 

 reason that our summers are short and the varieties we now have in 

 cultivation require every advantage in warmth and sunshine that can 

 be given to bring them to perfect maturity. 



