STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 43 



At New Orleans I did not find time, owing to the heavy pressure up- 

 on me in the care of the exhibits of the State, to spend any time what- 

 ever with the horticulturists in their special meetings. But I met 

 them all from time to time in my walks about the exposition buildings. 

 Most of them spent time examining our fruits and exhibits, and I 

 learned there the views that I have expressed in regard to your posi- 

 tion and reputation abroad. 



Although my time, during this last year, has not been devoted as 

 closely to the interests of this Society as I could wish, yet in my atten- 

 tion to other duties I trust that the horticultural interests of the State 

 have not been neglected. 



I think, gentlemen of the Society, that there was no question at 

 New Orleans but that the Minnesota collection of apples was the 

 handsomest and the largest and the best in the entire Exposition. 

 In fact it V7as the only collection where apples were put up attract- 

 ively and in large quantities in one exhibit. We had about two 

 hundred bushels of apples to show there to represent our State — 

 largely composed of our Wealthy, an apple which attracts more at- 

 tention than any other variety in the world wherever you carry it. 

 We put them up in large masses, in order that the admirers of that 

 apple might see it in quantity and in its beauty as grown in the 

 country Avhere it originated. 



It affords me much pleasure to say that the style of the exhibit 

 made by the chief of installation, as devised by Prof. Porter, who 

 sits here by my side, and who sketched out the whole plan of the 

 Exhibit at New Orleans, was thoroughly artistic and well adapted 

 to show all the varieties of apples that we raise here, to the best 

 advantage. Massing our Wealthies for our large exhibits, we placed 

 upon them and over them, for purposes of color, something over a 

 hundred varieties of others, and there being some sixty bushels of 

 them always in sight, made a very attractive exhibit. 



Mr. Gould, to whose industry and that of his wife and daughter, 

 we are mainly indebted for the show of the fruit and the care of it 

 at New Orleans, has made you a most excellent report. I do not 

 think I could add to that report, and I presume it has already gone 

 into your Annual Report for the past year. I wish, however, here 

 to express to the Society my thanks to him for the great industry, 

 patience and perseverence with which he collected that fruit. To 

 him is due the fact that we had so large and complete a collection. 

 His services in that regard fully sustain the theory upon which he 



