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Organized Horticulture in the North- 



West, 



Dear Friends of Horticulture, 500 miles to the Northwest : 



In the early days of the Society you have formed it may 

 be of interest to you, and perhaps of some value, to know 

 something of the history of the sister association lying- near- 

 est to you, I believe, in miles, of any kindred organization. 

 On the fourth day of October, 1866, a dozen of the fruit 

 growers of southern Minnesota, being met incidentally at the 

 State Fair, organized what they called at that time the 

 " Minnesota Fruit Growers' Association." Pomology in 

 Minnesota, was, at that early day, comparatively new, 

 although some varieties of apples brought from the eastern 

 States were in bearing, enough, at least, to make an exhibit 

 at the fair. The following year the name of the society was 

 changed to its present one, and its membership was very 

 much increased. The writer of this article had the pleasure 

 of meeting with the Society for the first time in what might 

 be called its third annual meeting, held in St. Paul in 1869. 

 At that time the membership had increased to forty-two, and 

 included the principal nurserymen of the State and many 

 other leading men, mainly in and about the twin cities. The 

 writer also had the honor of acting at that meeting as secre- 

 tary, making a long-hand report of the proceedings. This 

 was the first published report of any meeting of the Society, 

 and the expense was met from the pockets of the members. 

 The sessions were held thereafter annually without financial 

 assistance from any source, except as the members contributed 

 themselves, until the year 1873, at which time the legislature 

 of the State made provision for printing annually 2,000 copies 

 of the report, provided the expense of publication did not 

 exceed $500. I think at that time also arrangements were 



