STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 41 



hardest work that we kept up our orgauizatiou. "We found that 

 one or two had deserted us, but others took their place. From 

 that time down to the present we have made a gradual advance- 

 ment, and we have grown in numbers and inliuence. In the year 

 1873 we had become so strong and powerful an organization that 

 at our annual session the members of the legislature came over 

 in a body to see us, desired reports of our transactions, and pro 

 vided for their publicatien and distribution by the State. From 

 that time to the present our growth has been more rapid than 

 ever. 



We have met with many discouragements. Some of our win- 

 ters have been so severe as to almost devastate our orchards en- 

 tirely of trees, many varieties being killed entirely; and this has 

 had a tendency to discourage all but the stout-hearted — all but 

 those who were so enthusiastic as to be able to rise above the 

 ruins of former efforts and again push bravely on. At the pres- 

 ent time I think we number about three hundred members. 



Three or four years since the legislature were satisfied we 

 were doing a grand work, and the citizens of St. Paul and Min- 

 neapolis, welcoming us to their homes during our meetings and 

 lending us every manner of encouragement, the legislature ex- 

 tended us a special favor and gave us an appropriation of -f 1,000 

 annually, to help us carry on these meetings and make experi- 

 ments in our work. 



Gentlemen, we came to St. Paul for the purpose I have named, 

 and again, we came for another purpose. St. Paul is the capital 

 of our State; whatever we can do that will encourage the people 

 of this beautiful and wealthy city, to beautify their homes, to 

 make their surroundings more pleasant, we will do, and try to 

 persuade you to make them so pleasant that those who come 

 from the various j)arts of the State will see something which will 

 be to them an object lesson, and which will please and accom- 

 plish good. We come to encourage you in doing that, and feel 

 thankful that you have given us a cordial welcome to the cityj 

 we understand you welcome us to your homes and that we 

 may behold all that is of interest about this beautiful city. And 

 again I say we thank you, citizens of St. Paul, for the welcome 

 extended to us to-day, and we hope we shall be able to do 

 you, one and all, good, and that our conduct while among you 

 may be such that you will be glad to invite us to come again. 



Capt. Blakeley. I would say to those interested in the Amber 

 Cane Association that Prof. Porter is expected to be here on the 

 6 



