,328 ANNUAL EEPOET. 



Budd, the importations they have made and that are to follow, the 

 trials and the siftings of sorts that are to be made, and whether as 

 the results therefrom, our dry interior prairies are to be eventually 

 covered with orchards of the apple, the pear, the cherry and the 

 plum, as similar regions hundreds of miles to the north of us in the 

 interior of Russia are now covered, is not the object of this paper to 

 discuss. All I have aimed at is to answer the question of Mr. Phenix, 

 '"'' Who reads and who cares''' when new or valuable facts and thoughts 

 are sent out through the press? The lesson and the encour- 

 agement is to us horticultural cranks to go on in our chosen work. 

 For if I have proved anything, it is that in seventeen to twenty 

 years by the almanac and the watch, we may wake up some morning 

 and find ourselves famous and honored for the good we have done; 

 and this is better than to be killed in foreign wars and have our 

 names spelled wrong in the dispatches. For anything written or 

 said that helps anybody out of their difficulties, somebody reads 

 and somebody cares. 



OLIVER GIBBS. Jr., 



Secretary. 

 Lake City, January 5th, 1884. 



Upon the conclusion of the reading of the above paper, Col. John 

 H. Stevens rose and said: 



Mr. President: The facts stated by the secretar}' are well known 

 to all the older members of this society. Col. Robertson has done 

 more for the advancement of general horticulture than any other 

 citizen of the state. He long ago mastered the underlying prin- 

 ciples, and had the happj faculty of instructing the people in their 

 work in trying to grow trees in this climate, and gave much of his 

 time and his best thoughts in his wTitings for the press and in 

 public addresses on the subject. I am happy to see that he is once 

 more present with us to-day, in person as well as in feeling ; and 

 as a proper recognition of his services in the past, I move that he 

 be declared an honorary life member of the Minnesota State Horti- 

 cultural Society. 



The motion of Col. Stevens was unanimously adopted. 



Col. Robertson then said : Mr. President and members of this 

 Society; the honor you have conferred upon me is very gratifying. 

 For a number of years past other objects than horticulture have 

 claimed my more particular attention ; but I have been well aware, 

 at all times, of the importance of your work, and have regarded 

 with pride the increasing strength and influence of your society. 

 Younger heads and younger hands than mine must in the future 



