408 ANNUAL EEPOET 



which a new man always experiences, no matter how well cxuali- 

 fied he may be for his position, in not being familiar with my 

 surroundings and the people with whom I have come in contact. 

 But right here, and before I go on with my report, I want to 

 thank you for the uniform courtesy and kindness with which I 

 have been received by the officers and members of this Society. 

 I feel that from this enthusiastic and intelligent support that 

 Minnesota horticulture receives at your hands, that it is right 

 to look for a great advance of its interests in the near future, and 

 that it will not be long before many of the problems now excit- 

 ing your attention will be solved. Please remember that at all 

 times you have my heartiest desire to co-operate with you in 

 advancing the interests of horticulture in this state. 



The work of the horticultural division has from necessity been 

 largely preparatory during the past season. My report covers a 

 period of nearly nine months, from the tenth of April, when I 

 took charge of the department, to the end of the calendar 

 year. 



I found the department in as good condition as could be ex- 

 pected, when is remembered the disadvantages under which 

 Prof. Porter labored in being obliged to divide his time between 

 so many kinds of and so much labor, and I am indebted to him 

 for laying a foundation from which I was able at once to obtain 

 some conclusions of benefit to the horticultural community. 



The horticultural department, it may be said, was created but 

 last spring, for then it was that an allotment of land for its ex- 

 clusive purpose was made and it has required the whole past 

 season, practically, to arrange for carrying on the future experi- 

 ment work of the department. I look upon the past season's 

 work as the beginning of experiments which will prove more 

 beneficial as the needs and wishes of the horticulturists of the 

 state become better known and the work of the station more 

 perfect. In some lines the work has not been nearly so com- 

 plete as I had intended from lack of time or facilities for carry- 

 ing on the same. 



The lines of work proposed for the year and the future will be 

 found in bulletin No. 3, which is included in my complete re- 

 port. 



