354 ANNUAL REPORT. 



Gentlemen andfeUoiv members: — In this, which is really our first 

 meetiug, we come together to communicate with each other the 

 knowledge which we may have acquired during our brief resi- 

 dence in Dakota, relative to the various trees, plants and fruits, 

 and to relate what is new and valuable in our experiences; to 

 sift the good from the bad, and scatter throughout our Territory 

 such valuable information as we shall be able to gather that may 

 be of service to our fellow men, and prove light-houses upon the 

 pathway of horticulture that shall direct the laborers in this 

 calling forward, until these fertile plains which we have chosen 

 for our future homes shall be clothed with beautiful groves and 

 forests, and orchards bending beneath their burdens of golden 

 fruits, and Flora and Pomona shall lavish upon us an abundance 

 of their precious gifts. These are not mere visionary thoughts, 

 for enough has already been learned to prove that, with careful and 

 intelligent selection of varieties, and proper care, we may rank with 

 any of our sister states, both in quantity and quality. And what of 

 them ? Two years ago Minnesota carried off the highest prize at the 

 American Pomological Convention, held at Philadelphia for the 

 finest display of apples. This winter Iowa takes first prize at New 

 Orleans for best display of fruits from the Northern States. And I 

 would challenge the world to show finer apples than were grown 

 in Dakota in 1884. It behooves us as a horticultural society, and 

 as a party that will be looked to for correct information, that we 

 proceed with the utmost caution, and that the work of discrimina 

 tion shall be such as will direct the planter upon the road to success. 

 The labor that has been performed in this field thus far in our 

 Territory has been carried on by each unaided and alone. Each 

 one has been paddling his own little horticultural canoe upon a 

 broad and unknown sea, and everywhere are placed false beacon 

 lights that lead the frail craft upon the fatal rocks. The greater 

 portion of these false lights have been set by the unscrupulous 

 and unprincipled tree agent, like the pirate of the merchantman 

 uj^on the high seas, yet unlike him there is no law to punish. 

 Other false lights, though perhaps not intentional, are account- 

 able to the nurseries themselves, Miio list and recommend for 

 this section varieties that are worthless, and varieties which if 

 not known to be \vorthless by them, certainly shows an inexcus- 

 able lack of information on their part, and causes an irreparable 

 amount of damage to their customers. The loss of money is in- 

 significant in comparison to the loss of faith, and the loss of time 

 silent in planting worthless varieties. Let us combine our forces 



