212 ANNUAL KEPORT. 



The year of 1884 has been in some paits of the State very favor- 

 able to the apple crop. We have had no diiiiculty in ol)taining 

 large quantities of excellent specimens of the * 'Wealthy" and 

 enough of the sorts, in more general bearing, to be able to show 

 at the World's Exposition nearly two hundred bushels in all. I 

 have not found a larger quantity, nor finer sijecimens of aijples 

 in the exhibits here of any State, although some of them exceed 

 "US in number of varieties. At the present writing we are just 

 laying out our fruit for exhibition and find most of the fruit, 

 except the grapes, in excellent condition.' The attempt to show 

 our grapes has been an experiment and is not an entire success. 

 The proceedings of the summer meeting have been copied out 

 in proper form for publication and are herewith submitted. 

 These proceedings with this brief statement and the financial 

 account appended, I must avsk the society to accept as my report 

 to the annual meeting. 



I hope you may find in the horticultural results of my work as com- 

 missioner some compensation for my shortcomings as secretary. 



I f the society should think it best to get out an annual report 

 for 1885, it is my duty to recommend that some other jjersou be 

 selected as secretary for the coming year, as my duties in main- 

 taining the exhibits of the State at the World's Exj)osition and 

 attending to their proper representation, and preparing the 

 oflicial report at the close of the Exposition will place it out of 

 my power to edit and publish such an annual report for the 

 current year as I would be glad to get out as one of the series 

 with which I have been officially connected. 



I trust that you may have a pleasant annual meeting, and 

 enlist more of that appreciation and suj)port from members of 

 the legislature and the State officers which have been heretofore 

 accorded us; and that although your secretary is away among 

 the orange groves, you will believe that his interest in the prob- 

 lems of fruit growing in our State has not abated. 



I will send a check for the balance due the society, to my suc- 

 cessor, as soon as I hear of his election. 



Offering the members and their friends a cordial welcome to 

 the Minnesota Department of the Exposition, should they find 

 themselves in New Orleans this winter or the coming spring, 

 I am. Yours respectfully, 



Oliver Gibbs, Jr., Secretary. 



P. S. — *I will hold the proceedings of the summer meeting and 

 send to the new secretary. 



♦Proceedings not received. — Sec'v. 



