248 ANNUAL REPORT 



domestication. It is growing in popularity. H. C. Warner, of 

 Forestburg, one of our best posted and most reliable authorities 

 in Dakota horticulture, says, that for cooking purjDOses it is 

 equal to the early Richmond, and that the yellow variety is 

 more globular in form and of better quality than the others. 

 Nurserymen do not seem to have it in stock as yet, but every 

 cherry that shows itself next summer in the markets of the towns 

 will be saved for seed. 



THE SHEPHERDIE. 



Small sprouts dug up in my pasture a year ago last spring and 

 set out in the garden are now seven feet high and loaded with 

 fruit buds. In the wilds the trees look scrawny. In the gar- 

 den, straight and symmetrical — a handsome ornamental tree in 

 every way. Has anyone yet learned how to germinate the 

 seeds? A friend of mine tried the scheme of fermenting them 

 in the body of a hen, shut up for the purpose, but lost the seeds 

 before the planting season, by some neglect. 



May you all have a pleasant annual meeting. 



Ramsey, McCook county, South Dakota, Jan. 5, 1889. 



HORTICULTURAL INSTITUTES. 



Mr. Barrett presented a resolution in reference to the horticul- 

 tural instruction to be given at farmers' institutes, etc. 



Mr. Fuller moved the adoption of the resolution. He said 

 there was great need of educating the people in horticulture; it 

 was useless for a farmer to buy a lot of strawberries when he 

 knew nothing about taking care of them. 



Col. Stevens said while he was in favor of . the resolution 

 he had doubts as to the propriety of its passage at this time. 

 There were too many interests needing assistance to ask a special 

 appropriation in the interest of horticulture alone. The institute 

 work, under the management of Supt. Gregg, had been a 

 great success, and the subject of horticulture had been well rep- 

 resented as a rule at the meetings, by Mr. Smith, Mr. Harris, 

 Mr. Barrett and others. It was better to continue the present 

 system than to hold separate horticultural institutes. He 

 thought a better attendance would be secured, and more accom- 

 plished in the interest of horticulture to conduct the institutes 

 in the manner heretofore pursued. 



