132 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In much perplexity as to the best plans to be pursued in canning this 

 fruit, an industry with which no one in our state of whom we could learn 

 was familiar, information was sought from the best sources attainable-, 

 and, while relying upon this information in proportion to the value of 

 the source, it was not always found to be reliable, and the results were 

 correspondingly discouraging. 



The first step in actual work was to call upon the members of the hor- 

 ticultural society and other fruit growers for contributions of fruit for 

 this purpose. It was fortunate for the superintendent that he combined 

 in his person at this time also the office of secretary, and had the appar- 

 atus and the machinery of the society in his hands to aid in pushing for- 

 ward the work, for which there was then so little time. Members of the 

 society responded promptly to the call for fruit, and nearly everything of 

 value ripening in the state at this season came to me as fast as they could 

 be taken care of. 



About a hundred and seventy-five different kinds of fruit were received 

 from different persons, of which some 125 were apples and 35 were 

 grapes and a very few were plums, as you are well aware there were few 

 good plums this year and these hard to find. In requesting the members 

 to forward this fruit, it was not asked as a gift, but the spirit of interest 

 throughout our membership in this matter prompted them to refuse com- 

 pensation almost without exception; and the fruit was often sent in much 

 greater quantity than was requested or needed. A part of this surplus 

 went to Chicago into cold storage, and a box containing some twenty 

 different varieties was stored in Minneapolis, and they are on exhibition 

 at this meeting. 



Of the fruit put up in jars, following the best directions attainable, 

 unfortunately, a number of the very best specimens of early grapes and 

 apples failed to keep and necessarily were thrown away. The jars were 

 filled later with other varieties, but the result was to reduce somewhat 

 the number of varieties exhibited, which is much to be regretted; but it 

 was the unavoidable result of inexperience. 



The final result of this canning process is about 200 jars, most of them 

 in good condition, now stored in my cellar and awaiting shipment to 

 Chicago in the early spring. Besides this, sixteen barrels and a few boxes 

 of apples of the later keeping varieties, some 25 different kinds, were 

 sent properly packed and placed in cold storage in Chicago. These apples 

 it is the intention to place on exhibition when the fair opens, and keep up 

 an assortment, replenished from time to time from the cold storage as 

 long as they last. A few boxes of grapes packed in cork dust were also 

 stored in Chicago for the same purpose. 



At the time of the attendance of Mr. Elliot and myself upon the Amer- 

 ican Horticultural Society in Chicago, we took the opportunity to visit 

 the horticultural hall at the exposition grounds and made a selection of 

 an excellent location for the Minnesota fruit exhibit. It is forty feet 

 long by fifteen feet wide, and lies between the main aisle and the inside 

 wall, which borders the aquarium court. As neighbors, we have the 

 Iowa exhibit on one side and the exhibit of Eussian apples directly op- 

 posite us, so we are in excellent company. Plans for the use of this space 

 are being prepared, a sketch of which I have here and which I shall be 

 very glad to have the members examine and criticise and offer suggestions 

 upon freely. (See cuts). A prominent idea in arranging this plan has 



