STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 335 



FRUIT IN MINNESOTA. 



Our adaptation for fruit must not be overlooked. There are 

 many States here represented hitherto justly celebrated in poui- 

 ological fields. That among them such a Northern State as 

 ours should presume to appear as a competitor, certifies her va- 

 ried resources. In 1883, at the exhibition of the American Pom- 

 ological Society, in Philadelphia, Minnesota was awarded the 

 Wilder silver medal for her collection of apples. Our horticul- 

 tural display at this exposition attests afresh our pomological 

 wealth. All doubts as to our being an apple producing State are 

 removed. In 1884 we produced over 200,000 bushels. We have 

 contributed several original apples, such as the Wealthy, to en- 

 rich the world's list of this royal fruit. The solidity and flavor 

 of our apples and berries confirm their excellence, and give 

 bright promise of future varied and profuse development. Cul- 

 tivated grapes flourish well, and 300,000 pounds were reported 

 as the product of 1881. Out of these good wine is produced. 

 Minnesota was awarded at this exposition eleven premiums and 

 three silver medals for best grapes east of the Eocky Mountains. 

 In all the varied family of berries and plums, ours cannot be ex- 

 celled in the quality of their flavor and relish. Diversified hor 

 ticulture is one of the permanent and attractive industries of 

 our State. 



In this brief citation of mixed agricultural industries, the im- 

 portance of sorghum must not be overlooked. The sorghum ex- 

 hibit Minnesota has made and is here spread to your view, of 

 sugar, syrup and candies, is more than a suggestion of great 

 possibilities. It is a direct invasion of that saccharine field here- 

 tofore solely awarded lo the tropics. That we should compete 

 with Cuba, Mexico, and Southern Louisiana in such a produc- 

 tion is surely the unexpected. By the manufacture of ice you 

 liave taken from us a native product; we make the law of equiv- 

 alents good by saccharizing the juice of the sorghum. Both in 

 sugar and syrups our northern State has done nobly, having cap- 

 tured the first premium for best amber cane syrup, and first pre- 

 mium for best amber cane sugar, with strong competition from 

 every portion of the country. Minnesota has thus demonstrated 

 that the sugar line can be removed eighteen degrees of latitude 

 northward. 



The crowning glory of our State is her superb system of pub- 

 lic and higher schools. The wisdom of Minerva could not have 

 pointed out a nobler policy for the State than that which opens 



