ANNUAL WINTER MFETING. 111 
the organization of the ‘‘ Minnesota Fruit Growers Association,” since 
christened the ‘‘ Minnesota State Horticulticural Society.” Since the or- 
ganization of this society twenty-five annual state fairs have been held, 
exhibitors have multiplied, and at many of the fairs plates of apples have 
been shown by hundreds, and the little eight dollars offered at that fair 
has been increased to as many hundreds; and notwithstanding the 
calamity that overtook us in the winter of 1872-73, destroying trees by 
hundreds and thousands from root killing, and the worse disaster of 
1884-85, that totally annihilated many varieties, the car of pomology is 
being pushed steadily along, The advance in other branches of horti- 
culture has been truly wonderful. Grape culture has proved a grand suc- 
cess; our strawberries, raspberries, currants and blackberries lead in the 
markets, floriculture has grown to enormous proportions, and vege- 
table gardening has more than kept pace with the increase of population 
We will now turn our attention for a moment to this society. I have 
been accused times without number of entertaining impractical ideas 
on Minnesota pomology. J admit that I now and always have indulged 
~ in rose-colored anticipations in regard to the future of apple culture in 
Minnesota and to-day, I am more firmly than ever grounded in the faith. 
that the predictions I have made will come to pass,and I confidently look 
to Professor Green and the scores of intelligent members of this society, 
who are to follow me, to help bring them to pass quickly. I admit that 
when the spring of 1883 with its warm rains and life-growing suns failed 
to bring forth leaves and blossoms on our apple trees, I trembled a little 
in my boots lest all men should call me a liar; but I investigated the cause 
and planted more trees; and then, when the spring of 1885 opened and the 
fruit trees were blackened and dead with only here and there an exception, 
and I saw in the newspapers of the north-west paragraphs like this: 
‘Reports from middle Iowa say many apple orchards are killed by the 
severe winter. One farmer reports a loss 55,000 trees seventeen years old,” 
I felt a chilly sensation, but I planted more trees. 
To look ahead a quarter of a century seems afar off, but how short 
seems the one past to the battle-scarred veterans who have stood by this 
society from the beginning. Have we made any advance as a society? 
We certainly have, and that, too. against such odds as never confronted 
* the people of any other state or country. Our society was organized ata 
time when the popular opinion and public sentiment was against us; at 
a time when it seemed as if the majority of the people had determined 
that fruit, or at least the apple, should not grow here. The organization 
formed at Rochester twenty-five years ago was a Small one, only twelve 
members all told. A child was born., A wholesome diet of fruit and 
good nursing saved its life. It got safely through the measles and whoop- 
ing cough,and by the aid of a littlestate pap, which was grudgingly given, 
to-day it is a rugged youth that can neither be frozen or starved to death. 
Our membership is now nearly two hundred and fifty, and we wield an 
influence that is felt in every part of the state. Through its influence 
homes have been adorned, and the inmates made healthier and happier ; 
shade trees and lawns, orchards and gardens surround thousands of happy 
homes, and hundreds and thousands of dollars are annually saved to our 
state on the home-grown fruits that are consumed. Two hundred and 
fifty members at the end of twenty-five years is perhaps as good as some 
