§8 ANNUAL REPORT. 
LETTER FROM HON, L..B. HODGES. 
The first from L. B. Hodges, as follows: 
SaInT PavuL, January 20, 1880. 
Friend Lacy— 
I am compelled to disappoint you. I have more than I cando. Work 
has been crowded on me within a week that could not well be postponed. 
This morning I thought I would try to putin this day on the paper I 
promised you, but the mail-carrier brought me fourteen letters to-day to 
answer soon as possible. These, with others I have been compelled to lay 
by for a few days, together with doing up, addressing and mailing over ‘‘150 
Manuals” will keep every moment’s time not necessarily needed in open 
air exercise, fully employed the next three days. I can only add, if the 
paper you called for will be of any service later, I could prepare it in time 
for publication in ‘‘ Transactions” for 1880. 
Yours truly, 
LEONARD B. HODGES. 
Mr. Elliot. I move that we request Mr. Hodges to transmit his- 
paper to the secretary, and that it be published in the Transac- 
tions of the Society. The motion was seconded and carried. 
LETTER FROM DR. WARDER. 
The second letter was from J. A. Warder, as follows: 
Nortu BEND, OHIO, January 17, 1880. 
My Dgar Sir: Your timely and cordial invitation was, I thought, 
acknowledged, but find no record. I now thank you and your associates,. 
and regret that I am denied the pleasure of being with you next week. 
Other engagements, and increasing laziness, have prevented my writing 
more at length for your meeting something relative tothe great interests 
you will have under discussion. 
Present me most cordially to all the good folks I should have been so 
glad to meet and take by the hand. Believe me their and your friend and 
co- laborer, 
WARDER. 
The third letter was from John Hart, as follows : 
LETTER FROM JOHN HART. 
WATERTOWN, D. T., Jan. 17, 1880. 
Prof. C. Y. Lacy— 
Dear Sir: Your letter and also programme of the coming meeting !s 
received. Although we are now in a treeless country on the open prairie, 
and advanced in years as we are, we hope to raise some fruit, although not 
as much as we raised among the bluffs in Winona county, where we had last 
