STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 43 



RESPONSE OF PRESIDENT HARRIS. 



Colonel Stevens and the Citizens of Minneapolis : 



Wherever in the world horticulture has gained a foothold; 

 wherever you find fruitful orchards and vineyards and the air 

 is laden with the perfume of flowers; wherever you find a people or 

 family who manifest a taste for choice fruits, beautiful flowers and 

 ornamental trees, plants, and vines, you find refinement of sentiment 

 and elegance of taste, that are a sure index of love, refinement and 

 beauty within. This we have found in a marked degree among 

 this people who now welcome us to their hospitality and homes, 

 and wish us God speed in our work. Our mission is to introduce 

 horticulture into every home in Minnesota, in county, town and 

 city; and it rejoices us to hear that our mission is appreciated by 

 you who dwell in this great and prosperous city. We aim to de- 

 velop character, increase intelligence, improve morals and advance 

 everything in our art that can exert an influence in improving 

 the conditions of the human race. We aim to transform into 

 Sources of profitable pleasure the crude elements of nature, and we 

 believe that we are making some progress. A few of us have been 

 actively and with zeal working in and for this Society for some 

 years. Others of us have not been identified with it so long; but 

 all feel a common interest in its welfare, and it makes us glad to- 

 day to be assured in this way that our self-sacrificing labors are 

 appreciated and have not been in vain, and we are glad to meet 

 again in your beautiful city, and thank you for your cordial wel- 

 come to us. We hope and believe that our meeting with you will 

 be pleasant to us, and we wixl endeavor to make its proceedings 

 interesting and profitable to you, and we certainly wish you, 

 whether members or not, to participate with us in our discussions, 

 and give us the benefit of your experience and observations in the 

 great industry in which we all feel so great an interest. Again 

 we thank you for your hearty welcome. 



The President then read his annual address as follows: 



ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT HARRIS. 



Members and Friends of the Minn. State Horticultural Society : 



This is the seventeenth annual meeting of this Society, and it 

 finds us in a condition to accomplish greater good than has been 

 accomplished at any previous meeting. We meet again in this 



