STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 263 



if you read the law, you will see that it leaves it with the board of 

 directors to spend the funds of the Society for certain purposes, and I 

 don't think we have a right to spend it for this purpose. 



Mr. Smith. The resolution does not make it absolutely binding 

 upon the Executive Committee; but it recommends that such unex- 

 pended balance as there may be over and above current expenses should 

 be used in the manner indicated. 



Mr. Grimes. I should regret exceedingly to have this pass. You 

 have a capable Executive Committee, why not leave it discretionary 

 with them, and not make it binding upon them to spend every dollar 

 of the appropriation on hand in a certain way. I think it would look 

 a little bad on the face of it. 



Mr. Sias. I take the same ground as Mr. Grimes. It would look 

 as if we were trying to spend our funds in order that we might im- 

 mediately draw the balance from the treasury. I don't think it would 

 look exactly right. 



The motion was then put, and was lost. 



President Smith. I now offer the resolution that the unexpended 

 balance in the treasury be placed in the hands of the treasurer as a 

 contingent fund, to be drawn upon as needed. 



The motion was adopted. 



The following paper was then read : 



GRAPE GROWING IN MINNESOTA. 

 By Samuel T. DouGHir, Lake City. 



At the request of your Secretary I will endeavor to state the method 

 , I pursue in growing grapes in Minnesota. 



Born and raised on Long Island I was accustomed to seeing fruit, 

 and it was to be had without the trouble of my growing it. 



I came to the Lake Pepin Valley in 1855, when white men were 

 scarcer in that locality than now. My life wais that of a frontiersman 

 and I had little time or opportunity to do else than to provide the 

 necessaries of life. 



In 1865 I began to investigate the subject of grape culture, depend- 

 ing on books for my information. It all seemed very easy and plausi- 

 ble as there shown with nice cuts. But some way or other I did not 

 get the fruit in quantities to suit me, so I began to investigate for 

 myself the habits of the vine and its fruiting. 



The books told me to cut to the third joint, or the system known as 



