ANNUAL WINTER MEETING. 105 
ness to the many noble women who have contributed so much to help 
along in this good work—without which it would be lacking much of its 
present artistical importance. Among the honorary life members, we notice 
with pride such names as Mrs. C. O. Van Cleve, of Minneapolis, Mrs. Wm. 
Paist, Hersey, Mrs. H. B. Sargeant, Lake City, Mrs. Ida E. Tilson, West 
Salem, Wis., Mrs. J. W. Manning, Boston, Mass., Mrs. Wealthy Gideon, 
Excelsior, Mrs. Jas. Bowen, Minneapolis, Miss Sarah M. Manning, Lake 
City. Aside from the above list, Mrs. Anna B. Underwood, Hortense 
Share, and many other noble women, have done much to enliven our col- 
umns, and we hope it will not be long before the disgrace of disfranchise- 
ment will be lifted from woman, so she will not be obliged to help pay for 
old and expensive liquors on the table of the White House—‘‘without 
representation.” 
Censure is sometimes more useful than praise, and I wish to blame this 
society for treating our wild native crab with such cool indifference. If 
Europe, as we are told, took her little wild native bitter crab (Smaller than 
ours) and produced the Ribston Pippin, of which Downing saidit ‘‘stands 
as high in Great Britain as the Bank of England.” Then is it not reasonable 
to suppose, before you celebrate your semi-centennial, that some Dr. Van 
Mons, or Thos. A. Knight will produce an apple as good as the pippin 
from our native crab? Possibly, some wise man may inform you that cer- 
tain species already ameliorated, are as hardy as the Minnesota type of wild 
crab. Do not believe it ’till fairly tested and proven. 
Just a few words to the young men of the society, who are soon to step 
into the places made vacant by the old pioneers, and I] am done. Carl 
Von Linne, (Linneus) father of modern botany, was born of poor parents 
in Sweden, May 12, 1707. Weare told that he was apprenticed to a shoe 
maker; that he suffered much from hunger and cold; but finally, through 
hard work and hard study, became the foremost botanist of his time. 
Now this reminds me of another young man who came into Olmstead Co., 
Minnesota, quite a number of years ago, from that same section of coun- 
try, (as I have been told,) where the great botanist was born. Iam not 
able to say whether this young man is the greatest botanist in Minnesota, 
or not, but I do believe that as an orchardist, he has few, if any, superiors 
in the state. This was accomplished by many years of hard work and 
faithful service as foreman on a fruit plantation of which he subsequent- 
ly became the owner. I refer to a gentleman who needs no introduction, 
R. C. Keel. I mention these two cases for the encouragement of young 
men in Minnesota who think there is nochance to work up in horticulture 
in so cold acclimate. Hard, persistent work, intelligently applied, will bring 
success. Now let me again give you a formula for an orchard, that if 
closely adhered to, will beat the old pioneers clear out of sight. Ist, use 
ten times more water in seasons of drought than they did. 2nd, prepare 
your land for the orchard by plowing in clover, and remember that clover 
is the best plant to bring nitrogen from the atmosphere, (the best element 
of plant food.) Study hard to beat the old gents on the orchard’s envi- 
ronment. Make it the paradise for the pigs, fowls, birds and bees. These 
are all indispensible in ano. one orchard. If possible, plant ten acres of 
nut, berry and honey producing plants, on the west and southwest of the 
orchard. Sow a good, wide space between orchard and wood to white 
clover, for the bees, and to give free circulation of air to prevent blight. 
