84 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to stand before you to-night and 

 welcome all these important interests to this, our tweniy-sixth annual 

 gathering. May our deliberations result in.great good to the many inter- 

 ests here represented and this annual meeting prove the most pleasant 

 and profitable of any we have ever held. 



Secretary A. W. Latham, of Excelsior, then read the secre- 

 tary's annual report as follows: 



secketary's annual report. 



Mr. President and fellow members of the Mimiesota State Horticultural 

 Society: The report which I have the honor to present to you this year, the 

 twentieth published report of the transactions of this society, embel- 

 lished at the head with the cheerful countenance of our ex-president, J. 

 S. Harris, and the protrait of ex-Secretary J. W. Harkness, deceased, is a 

 volume in some respects, at least in dimensions, the superior of that of 

 last year, which was the first I had the pleasure of preparing for you. 



This report contains 404 pages, an increase in'size over last year of more 

 than 22 percent. The increase in the amount of material it contains is 

 still greater, as a larger proportion of it is'printed in brevier. The top- 

 ical arrangement proved to be a convenience, and is continued in the 

 present volume. It is not practicable to make a perfect classification, 

 but an approximation to it is found to be a convenience in looking up 

 any particular subject. Under the head of "General fruits," however is 

 necessarily grouped information belonging "under several special heads, 

 which cannot well be separated without destroying the personalty of the 

 reports. I have heard no criticisms on this method of arranging the re- 

 port, on the contrary, from many sources commendation. It should and 

 would be a pleasure to the secretary to receive suggestions and criticisms 

 on this as well as any other of the work of the office, which might result 

 in increasing the eflBciency of his efforts. The usual number of reports, 

 3,500, was printed this year, of which 2,000 were cloth-bound, through the 

 kindness of the gentleman in charge of the public printing. 



MEMBERSHIPS. 



The annual membership for the year just closed has increased from 222 

 last year to something over 3C0. The life members have increased in 

 number four, three honorary and one paid, making the present life mem- 

 bership 42. The total membership for the current year is about 350. The 

 continued growth of the society may be fairly taken as an index of the 

 interest in horticulture throughout the state. 



Our increasing strengtli may well be a source of pride to us. It 

 is not the work of any one officer or member in any large degree, 

 although several have contributed considerably to this result, but it is 

 due to the general interest which the members have in seeing the society 

 grow and its work extended. I have taken some pains to ascertain the 

 facts, and, as far as I can learn, there is no state horticultural society in 

 this country which has a stronger membership, and but few that have 

 nearly the number. To make our record good this means that we must do 

 unusual work and accomplish unusual results;and,certainly,in a community 

 where there are so many obstacles to overcome and where horticulture 

 enters upon a new and untried field, it is necessary that we should do 

 earnest work. The necessity combined with the earnestness and intelli- 

 gence of our people is the probable cause of the working strength of this 



