ANNUAL WINTER MEETING. 53 
work, absolutely without jarring or unpleasantness. Such unanimous 
effort has laid deep and broad the foundation of the Minnesota State 
Horticultural Society, upon which, in the years to come, is to be builded 
a superstructure which will bea suitable monument to the labors of its 
founders. 
The condition of the society is largely representative of the condition 
or horticulture in the state, and both present at this time, a most satis- 
factory outlook. Our society numbers for the year 1891, 221 annual mem- 
bers, 33 life members, and 18 honorary members for five years, making a 
total of 272 members. This number is largely in excess of that of 
previous years and is a good index of increased interest in horticultural 
pursuits in Minnesota. The principal source of the prosperity of our so- 
ciety is to be found in the self-sacrificing spirit shown throughout the 
entire membership. From our honored President Elliott, who has given 
willingly years of toil, down through the whole line of officers and the 
entire rank and file of the membership,—all have shown willingness 
to give of their time and divide with others the results of their labor and 
experiments. While such a spirit prevails, what can prevent the growth 
of the society and the spread of its important work ? 
REGISTER OF MEMBERSHIP. 
I have prepared with some labora register of the membership of the 
society during each of the twenty-five years of its existence, with the 
thought that it would be interesting material to publish entire in the 
next annual report. 
The register shows that the total number of different persons who have 
belonged to our society is 846, of which 797 have been annual, 40 honorary 
and 48 life members. The total is 39 less than the sum of these three 
- items because of duplication in the annual and honorary lists. The 
membership of the first year, 1866, as nearly as can be ascertained, was 9. 
That of the last year, 1891, is 272, and the average membership for each 
year of the quarter-century is approximately 34. An effort is being 
made to ascertain who of our membership are now deceased, and a place 
is provided in the register for such record. The register will also show 
as far as possible the present post office address of those members still 
living. 
LIBRARY. 
The president and secretary, as authorized by the executive committee, 
rented of Wyman Elliot for the nominal price of $5.00 per month a 
room adjoining Mr. Elliot’s private office on the second flour at No. 427 
Nicollet avenue, Minneapolis. The room is well lighted and heated, and 
is admirably suited fora library. It has been fitted up with the necessary 
furniture, a large table, chairs and a writing desk, with movable shelves 
filling one side, upon which have been placed, in order, a quantity of 
each issue of our annual reports, together with at least one copy of all 
the exchanges that have come to the society, as well as much other 
valuable material. 
A full list of the books in the library, including the reserve stock at 
Pillsbury Hall, where the great bulk of our reports are stored, will be 
given in the report of the librarian. 
It is the purpose to use this office as a general head-quarters of the so- 
ciety, especially as an office for the secretary and librarian and possibly 
