30 ANNUAL REPORT. 



age and incidental expenses, in addition to the $100 allowed at a 

 previous meeting, which was allowed by a unanimous vote. 



EXTENDING THE WORK. 



Secretary Gibbs raised the question whether some action 

 should not be taken looking toward a furthering of the interests 

 and influence of the society, by securing new members, distrib- 

 uting reports, exchanging products, and working up exhibits. 

 He advocated the gathering of scions and specimens by some 

 authorized person or persons, depositing them at some defined 

 place and carrying on experiments. He said that systematic 

 work was necessary to settle many of the disputed questions of 

 pomology and advance the interests of horticulture in the N'orth- 

 west. 



Prof. E. D. Porter heartily approved of the suggestion, and 

 urged the importance of taking prompt action in the matter. 

 He said it was with a view to encouraging such enterprises that 

 the State had established the experimental farm. In this the so- 

 ciety has a place, and the State also offers to supervise experi- 

 ments; but it has made no provision for the collection of the mate- 

 rial for the experiments. He recommended that a standing com- 

 mittee be appointed to attend to this matter and make thorough 

 work of it. He cited some instances of successful experimental 

 institutions, and spoke of the great opportunities offered in this 

 region, which have been developed to a very limited extent. He 

 maintained that the native fruits should form the basis of opera- 

 tions, referring particularly to the native plum, cranberry, 

 blueberry, and apj)le. 



Col. D. A. Robertson, of St. Paul, inquired if he would go 

 back again to the native sour and bitter crab, or take up the line 

 where we now have it. 



Prof. Porter in reply, said that the latter plan would of course 

 be the wiser. IsTotwithstanding the gold medal taken by the 

 Minnesota apples at Philadelphia, he insisted that the ideal apple 

 adapted to this climate has not yet been found. He lioped the 

 society would take hold of this matter, and was confident that 

 any efforts in this direction would be amply rewarded. 



Mr. Gideon, superintendent of the State Experimental Fruit 

 Farm, answered a number of inquiries about his seedlings, and 

 gave a statement of the results arrived at thus far, and described 

 the manner in which the work had been conducted during the 



