HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY. 81 



and we are glad to see that they are happily emulating our example 

 and saying they shall persevere and try again. 



President Johnson, of the Kansas State Society, cites the fact 

 that one man in that state to whom he sold three hundred trees 

 some eighteen years ago, has now but four or five varieties left, 

 but said the man assured him he would plant another orchard and 

 make a further effort at raising fruit. 



In Illinois the state society was so impressed with its import- 

 ance they sent their president and secretary on a trip through the 

 northwestern states in search of hardier and better varieties. 

 Those wide-awake and keen observers, during the past summer, 

 paid a visit to Minnesota in order to discover, if possible, some 

 means of repairing the disastrous failures there experienced. 



Our sister states of Wisconsin and Iowa can also show a chapter 

 of appalling failures; but there, again, among the fruit men we 

 find a feeling dominant to "cut and try again." 



VOLUME SEVENTEEN. 



Permit me here to call attention briefly to our last report, the 

 seventeenth volume of this society's transactions. It is perhaps 

 the largest, and in some respects the most valuable of the series 

 published, reflecting credit alike on the society and on the print- 

 ers and publishers, the Pioneer Press Company. The typograph- 

 ical execution of the work is almost faultless, and being printed on 

 tinted paper (which was without additional expense to the society), 

 it adds materially to its appearance. Whpn properly bound it 

 makes a volume well worthy to be found in any of our public libraries 

 and is eagerly sought for such purposes. In spite of condensation 

 and the omission of several interesting papers, the book contains 

 about 480 pages, and with its illustrations is fully up in size to the 

 established legal limit. In this connection it seems important to 

 call attention to the necessity of brevity of statement in these re- 

 ports. We should preserve the "kernel," but throw aside the chaff. 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



A new feature was introduced in this report, for the purpose of 

 preserving the portraits of the presidents of our society. With 

 this object in view the photograph of Col. D. A. Robertson was 

 obtained, after much solicitation, for a frontispiece. He afterwards 

 came forward and gave our library fund a generous donation. This 

 picture is a very good one of that sturdy pioneer, who did such 

 grand foundation work in other days, who lingers yet among us, 

 and still is hopeful for a bright if not a brilliant future in the 

 development of Minnesota horticulture. 



The illustrations of Prof. Lugger's interesting scientific lecture 

 on flesh-consuming plants, are neatly executed and pleasing. 

 Such articles as these add greatly to the value of our publication 

 and give us character abroad. The manuscript was carefully pre- 

 pared, and the expense of cuts to the society was, by his assistance, 

 much reduced. The cost of illustrations having been reduced so 



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