^■^^ ANNUAL REPORT. 



tural fairs, and that created quite an excitement. There was a fine 

 exhibit of small fruits, jellies and canned fruits of all kinds; and that 

 stirred up an interest at that fair, and in about a day and a half, we 

 gained forty members, by means of considerable work. A week ago 

 to-day we had our first annual meeting and elected officers. Mr 0. 

 E. Saunders was elected President, W. J. Rice Treasurer, and myself 

 Secretary. The interest in horticulture among our people is increas- 

 ing, and I think there is no doubt that between this and the next semi- 

 annual meeting, which will be held some time in June or July, we will 

 have about a hundred members, and we anticipate getting even more 

 than that. 



So far as the finances are concerned we have no extended report to 

 make; we have taken in some twenty dollars and we have on hand a 

 part of It, and a part of it we are using to-day in coming here and 

 going home. I think that is about all I have to report; if Brother 

 Saunders has anything further to ofi'er he will do so. 



REMARKS BY MR. SAUNDERS. 



Mr. Saunders. Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: 

 I came here as a stranger to-day, representing, with my friend 

 Regester, our society at Granite Palls. He and my wife and myself 

 were chosen delegates. Coming here as a stranger to all of you, with 

 the exception of Col. Stevens, with whom I have had a pleasa'nt ac- 

 quaintance for some time, the welcome that I have received here has 

 made me feel at home, and I feel that I am among friends. In regard 

 to our society I wish to add just a few words to what Mr. Regester 

 has said, and I wish to say that we have not succeeded in getting the 

 society on the footing on which it now stands without some hard 

 work. It has required some effort to get our people to work there. 

 We almost despaired of doing anything toward the organization of a 

 society. When the matter was first up for consideration, it was said 

 by one of our leading men in that section that they had tried to organ- 

 ize a farmers' meeting without success, and a horticultural society 

 would certainly be a failure; but that same man is now one of our 

 most active members. He was at our meeting and I think he felt we 

 were alive, and although our society might not be more than an 

 infant, it is a healthy one and bids fair to live. [Applause.] 



Now, I would say that interest in fruit culture in our section has 

 been at very low ebb, but we are able to report to this body that there 

 IS an increase of interest up there. Five years ago T was told by 



