Öfficers' Annual Reports. 1898. PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL ADDRESS. J. M. UNDERWOOD, LAKE CITY. Members of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society: The rapid development of all the material resources of our country during the past ten years has been shared in a marked degree by the horticultural interests of our state. The forces of improvement and progress permeate the air, and out of the dark clouds of seeming failures and reverses that hung over the fruit interests of Minnesota in its infancy, has burst the morning sunshine of success. The tottering limbs of our horticultural infant have strengthened, and it now stands on an intelligent and firm foundation. Its periodical attacks of colic, accompanied by a panic among its anxious guardians, are now but memories, and at the annual gatherings its windy cries of trouble are heard no more; but sunny smiles wreath its face instead, and ripples of joy and glee bubble up and flow from the well-spring of its heart, shedding its influence far and wide throughout the state. There are some planters among us who have often declared that our best varieties of apples were failures, but they are now forced to abandon that position by the abundant returns that they themselves are receiving from those very varieties, while the persistent and vigilant enthusiasts who, through their determination to succeed earned the worthy title of "cranks," and are now reaping a rich reward. Horticulturists, as a rule, are the most persistent, indomitable class of people engaged in the struggle of developing the hidden resources of nature. Reverses act as a stimulus to them, quickening their efforts and strengthening their determination to persevere until success is achieved. They deem no sacrifice too great that will demonstrate the worthiness of a variety of fruit, and they are firm in unfaltering reliance upon what the future may have in store for them. The past thirty years of experience with the pioneers of horticulture form an unwritten history that is full of practical lessons, drawn alike from failures and successes. Year by year we have come together for counsel and advice, which have been freely given and gladly received. It is true that we have occasionally become over-zealous in advocating our pet theories, which we firmly believed would revolutionize all other methods of fruit raising, and most of us have experienced a fall from some dizzy height or hobby. Still, ludicrous blunders will oftimes point a lesson that will prove of inestimable value. Orchard and garden have been the school-room where lessons have been prepared, sometimes at great expenditure of time and means. The problems therein found have been so difficult to solve that often the temptation would come to give up the task. At the annual meetings, all have gathered to give the results of their labors, and many differing answers have been given; but all have profited by the lessons learned. The value of such an organization as our horticultural society is simply marvelous, when considered from a utilitarian point of view. Through its efforts, health, wealth, comfort and happiness have been spread throughout the state. What more could be expected or desired of it? We never could have accomplished so much without this parent tree upon which the fruit of our experience could develop. Individual efforts alone would have been slow in results, if not an entire failure; but with this society to centralize effort, to encourage systematic investigation, to distribute information freely, it is selfevident that the experimental period of fruit culture is past; all that remains now to be done is to develop the resources at hand, also to help and encourage others to profit by the knowledge we have gained in the past. The field is boundless in which to work. The practical questions, "How to improve different kinds of fruits and vegetables," "How to protect the home and orchard from the hot winds of summer and the cold blasts of winter," "How to make horticulture profitable," will ever be propounded with ever varying answers, gained by continuous experience. There is also the ornamental side with its pertinent topics for consideration, such as, “The development of the artistic characteristics of each farm home," "The tasteful arrangement of lawns," "The care of garden and roadside," "The protection and propagation of the beautiful wild shrubs and flowers of Minnesota," "The preservation of the state forests and the stimulation of tree planting upon the prairies." All of these and kindred subjects are of vital importance to Minnesota, and the horticultural society has constituted itself the faithful mentor who will carefully guard and further whatever is essential to her welfare along lines within its control. As a result of this watchful care Minnesota will develop a superior class of intelligent citizens, which will be evidenced by the abundance of fruits, vegetables and flowers, shade and ornamental trees, surrounding every home, from the cabin of the humblest peasant to the well appointed palace of the millionaire. The society's work in the past has resembled, somewhat, that of a pioneer missionary. With nothing it could call its own of this world's goods, with a spirit of unselfishness that was willing to sacrifice time and strength, with persistent fearlessness treading unknown forests and prairies, it has blazed paths that others might follow. Contact with the well known mercurial temperament of Minnesota herself has occasionally given rise to a discoloration of its visual organ, that is generally looked upon with disfavor; but, like the missionary, it had to get acquainted, and a playful ebullition of spirit was not deemed discouraging, but simply as a display of misplaced energy. Acquaintance has deepened into friendship, the heart of the people has been reached, and the state at large recognizes the self-sacrificing thoughtfulness and effort of the horticultural missionary. The object accomplished of awakening the horticultural life of the community, the society feels that, with added years and growing membership, a well earned reputation at home, as well as abroad, entitles it to the deserved privilege of retiring from the itinerant fraternity. In other words, our society needs a home, and it is now our bounden duty to provide a permanent place where its records may be kept, and where its accumulating library may be stored. Above all, it needs suitable rooms where its annual meetings can be held. Ample accommodations can now be arranged for in the new state capitol, and by taking advantage of them, the twentieth century will find the society in a home that will reflect credit on the forethought and wisdom of those who provided for it. We have been without a home for thirty-two years, and it is none too soon to agree upon the plans for one. Steadily increasing in number, we must prepare for the accessions of the future. The increasing membership, thus far, is a tribute to the work accomplished and to the knowledge that has been disseminated through our magazines and annual reports. We confidently expect an increase of membership and valuable assistance from a reliable source, the State Farm School. Under the efficient direction of its faculty, intelligence in the work of the students is very noticeable, and their young, healthy blood will impart new vigor to horticulture. With its intelligent corps of instructors and the practical knowledge they impart, our State Farm School is, indeed, an institution in which to feel a just pride. The beautiful location, with its fine buildings and splendid equipment commend it to the attention of young men and women who desire to avail themselves of its many advantages as the best educational institution that the country affords. The modern and improved methods taught there will exalt farming above all other vocations upon earth. And now the Woman's Auxiliary of the society is asking for recognition and offering its assistance. What an opportunity it is for us, and who are so well fitted to give counsel in adorning the home? Woman, as queen of the heart, ever loyal in thought and action to home-making, possesses the keen, discriminating faculty that enables her, with simple, homely resources, to convert a home into a veritable paradise. More may be expected when she widens her field of action and concentrates her latent power upon outof door improvement and adornment. She will call to her aid an invincible phalanx of life and beauty that awaits her command. The flowers all know her as a friend and will spring into new life at her bidding. The vast resources of Minnesota are constantly attracting new settlers within her borders. They must be taught the best methods of horticulture, together with all its possibilities, and that for protection and comfort the prairie home should be surrounded with living shelter belts, and they should be instructed in the best method of caring for them intelligently, They should be made to understand the value of forests to the country at large and to keep alive the sentiment that is striving so hard to arrest their devastation by the woodman's ax and the relentless fire. We, as a society, should encourage the study and discussion of economic forestry. A subject of such widespread interest, and one that affects the wellbeing of our state, should form a feature in public school work, in cities as well as in the country. One thing of great importance to our state and to our interests as a society, is to secure the introduction of a first-class late-keeping variety of apple; and our society could not do a better thing than to offer a premium of a $1000 for an apple as good as the Wealthy in size, quality and appearance, that will keep as well as the Malinda and is as hardy and prolifiic as the Duchess. If, as a society, we would continue to be useful, we must be alert to develop and promote those features of our work that the times and conditions indicate are most needed. We must thoroughly cultivate those principles of unselfish devotion to our beloved calling that will prompt us to work in harmony for the advancement of horticulture in this great northwest. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD. Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen :-Our executive board has had a very harmonious and pleasant year the past year. We have managed our work in such a way that it was necessary to hold only four committee meetings. It has been done partly by correspondence, thus saving to the society the expense of getting the committee together from different portions of the state. We have endeavored to take up the work in the line of horticulture and push it through in the way we thought was best for the interests of our society and the people of our state. We have had charge of the exhibitions of fruit that have been made by the society. Our summer exhibition was a magnificent effort. We had the finest display of small fruit that was ever made in the state. You are all familiar with what was done by our society at our state fair. Last year we had 2,700 plates of all kinds of fruit, and this year we had 5,400 plates. If we go on in this ratio we shall have to have a larger building for this purpose. We commenced in the early years, when we first made these exhibitions, with one little section in one corner of the building, and we had that very sparsely filled, and we have been increasing from year to year until we now occupy the whole building. We look forward to the coming year with great hopes. I think the people of our state can appreciate the efforts this society has made in the direction of horticulture. I do not wish to take the time allotted to other topics that are to be presented here, but I could go on and tell you of many other things the executive committee has done, but I think it is best that I do not disclose all that has been done the past year. I thank you. Mr. Barnes, (Wis.): Did this society show the 5,400 plates asa society? Mr. Eiliot: Not as a society, but it was by the membership, the people of the state. The President: I will explain for the benefit of the delegates present that the executive board forms the working force of the society. It would be impossible to bring the society together at various times during the year when it is necessary to do certain work, so it is delegated to the executive board. We have only two annual meetings-the summer and winter meetings-when the society as a whole has an opportunity to take part in the work, and in the interim the executive board does the work required. On motion of Mr. Dartt the report of the executive board was adopted and a vote of thanks tendered the officers for the very able and efficient manner in which they have performed their various duties during the past year. SECRETARY'S ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1898. Members of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society: I do not intend at this time to burden you with a long statistical report of the status and doings of our society, but only in a general way to point out a few of the more prominent landmarks in our work. The year just closing has been one of much prosperity for our society; indeed, I may properly say, has been the most prosperous one we have known. With our bills all paid and a respectable balance in the treasury, with a large and valuable addition to our library, with the credit of such an extraordinary exhibition at the state fair, with an annual membership roll larger than ever before, and larger, I may safely say, than that of any other similar organization in our country, with a steadily growing life roll, I don't know but we have some right to stand off at a little distance and smile at ourselves and be reasonably glad. With these growing facilities and these patent results, affecting the society itself, comes also, and the writer believes in a still larger degree, the growth of the objects for which alone the society exists. The leaven of horticulture, true and good, planted and nourished by this society, is surely at work, and its results are easily apparent in our midst. But are we satisfied with this? No. Our aspiration is as wide as the state itself, and includes every person within its borders. There is yet, and ever will be, the old problem to solve: How shall we reach all who |