secretary's annual report, 1916. 75 



believe, is to be much regretted. Twenty memberships have 

 come into our roll this year from this source. 



The nurserymen have contributed also somewhat, although 

 not so largely as in many previous years, the total number of 

 names from this source amounting to 134. These are member- 

 ships that have been given by the nurserymen to purchasers of 

 their nursery stock. 



A special interest this year is connected with the distribu- 

 tion of plant premiums, and an unusual number of our member- 

 ship have asked for them. There was offered a selection of eight 

 varieties of assorted premiums which were made up and handled 

 by Prof. Cady from the University Farm Station. Prof. Cady 

 also had charge of the mailing of small lots of strawberry and 

 raspberry plants which came to him in bulk from the fruit-breed- 

 ing farm. The larger portion of the plant premiums were new 

 fruits from the fruit-breeding farm, consisting of hybrid plums, 

 No. 3 June-bearing strawberry, No. 1017 everbearing straw- 

 berry, and No. 4 raspberry. Eight hundred and twenty members 

 called for the hybrid plums, 857 called for the No. 4 raspberries, 

 687 for the No. 3 June-bearing strawberries and 1,478 members 

 called for No. 1017 everbearing strawberries. 



The exhibits at the annual meeting last year considering the 

 character of the season were very satisfactory, the premiums on 

 fruits, vegetables and flowers altogether amounting to $604.00. 



The display at the summer meeting was almost entirely of 

 flowers, strawberries receiving only a very small amount. This 

 exhibit surpassed any that the society had ever made, we believe, 

 the total amount awarded at that time being $178.75, towards 

 which the Minnesota Garden Flower Society contributed $65.00. 



The trial stations of the society have increased in number 

 by the addition of two stations, one at New Auburn, under the 

 management of R. S. Hall, and another at Deerwood under the 

 management of L. P. Hall, and one has been discontinued, at 

 Madison, under the management of M. Soholt, it occupying prac- 

 tically the same territory as the older station at Montevideo. 

 These stations are all well equipped, especially with new fruit 

 from the fruit-breeding farm, and many of Prof. Hansen's new 

 fruits are also being tried there. Their reports should be studied 

 carefully by our membership as they appear in the monthly, and 

 much valuable information may be received in this way. 



The Orchard Prize Contest, inaugurated in the spring of 

 1914, is proceeding. There are twenty-three persons entered in 



