74 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Secretary's Annual Report, 1916, Minnesota State 

 Horticultural Society. 



A. W. LATHAM, SECY. 



The society year, just closing, while it has not been from an 

 economic standpoint as successful for the average horticulturist 

 as could be desired has nevertheless been a most successful one 

 for the society, the membership having touched high water mark, 

 and in many other ways the society has demonstrated its value 

 to the horticultural interests of the state. 



This being the semi-centennial anniversary meeting of the 

 society emphasizes especially the growth of membership during 

 the fifty years of its life, beginning with a membership of ten in 

 1866, with 264 in 1891, at the age of twenty-five years, the first 

 year of my service as secretary, and 3,837 at the present time, 

 indicating well the increasing growth and usefulness of the 

 society. The close of this year finds 3,454 names on the annual 

 membership roll and 383 names on the life membership roll, mak- 

 ing a total membership of 3,837 for the current year, an increase 

 of 425 memberships at this date over the preceding year. There 

 has been a material increase in the life membership roll of 383, 

 consisting of thirty-two names, four of these honorary members, 

 viz. : Chas. Haralson, S. H. Drum, F. W. Kimball, J. R. Cummins, 

 and as far as we know no decrease, as no deaths that have come 

 to the, attention of the secretary have occurred in the ranks of 

 this large life membership roll during the year. Of this mem- 

 bership a considerable proportion is to be credited to the 

 auxiliary societies, of which there are now seven connected with 

 the society, the total number of such memberships amounting to 

 957. Several of these societies are very active and doing most 

 excellent practical work in their special fields. It would be well 

 to encourage the organization of such auxiliaries at any points 

 where there are two or three members who are willing to sacri- 

 fice something to organize and maintain such a local society. 

 Occasional local meetings throughout the year, a plan pursued 

 by some of these auxiliaries, adds greatly to their neighborhood 

 usefulness. 



The Farmers' Institutes have not contributed this year as 

 much as usual to this membership roll. The changed conditions 

 under which these institutes are held have diminished the oppor- 

 tunities for extending to the farmers of the state the opportunity 

 to avail themselves of the advantages of this society, which, we 



