HOETICUTURALL SOCIETY. 151 



ture and horticulture. Though special in use they are correlated 

 close as the auricle and ventricle of the heart. To separate them, 

 neglecting horticulture, is farming "at a poor dying rate." Credit 

 the farmer when he has the best varieties of stock and takes 

 right care of them. He knows that thoroghbreds must have food 

 and treatment corresponding with their advanced conditions. Does 

 not the same law hold good with human beings, that, if we 

 would have first-class health and character, we must have first- 

 class food, and first-class every thing else? We shall have purer 

 blood, clearer brains, better morals, when our diet consists mainly 

 of the fruits. This is the first step toward the millenium; for 

 all these live closer to the "soul of things." 



Amid the growing demand for such food, the question turns 

 again, can Minnesota and the Dakotas raise the fruits to practical 

 advantage? Every experienced horticulturist in these states ans- 

 wers in the affirmative, with the proviso annexed — "when we 

 rightly prepare for it." We have a quality of soil and climate 

 that are susceptible of producing the best of indigenous fruits. 

 The difficulties we have to encounter are lack of forests to miti- 

 gate the rigors of heat and cold and economize moisture for the 

 annual drouths, lack of water reservoirs at the river sources, and 

 lack of farmers willing to post themselves in horticulture and 

 willing to apply what they do know? In this business there is 

 such a faithlessness and stupidity, the horticultural battle has to 

 be fought over and over inch by incL, paving the way that others 

 may be blest for our sacrifices. 



After long years of experience, the practical conclusion is then 

 simply an annual meeting of the State Horticultural Society with 

 an able report of its doings given away, creditable as it all is, does 

 not fully supply the great need. Nor do our horticultural articles 

 frequently published in our agricultural journals suffice. All these 

 are helps and we cannot afford to lessen our energy in these direc- 

 tions. We have again and again rung the changes upon the neces- 

 sity of forestry, yet little comparatively has been accomplished. 

 While we have been trying to build up, syndicates, indifferent to 

 others' weal, have beeu destroying for lumber in other directions. 

 It is a fierce struggle to gain the mastery, especially where so many 

 are so indifferent about any trees for home or country. The con- 

 ditions evidently demonstrate what ought and can be done. Our 

 Society should be made a more consolidated force and fortified in 

 members that natiirally belong to it. Suppose now the fruit 

 committee annually sent out to discover new and valuable fruit 

 plants, be either enlarged or merged into a Missionary Board, ap- 

 pointed by the executive of this Society from its members, consist- 

 ing of persons who have had experience and know how to express 

 it, to whom shall be entrusted the great work of arousing the peo- 

 ple to activity in horticultural industry. Their business would 

 be to hold meetings where they can, singly or in concert, organize 

 branches of the State Society, procure names and residences of 

 persons who have interest enough in trees, flowers and fruits to 

 grow them; correspond with such, encourage horticultural experi- 



