December 9, 1915, Afternoon Session.

Discussion on "The Topworked Orchard," led by A. J. Philips, Wisconsin.

(See index.)

The President: The next order of business will be the election of officers for the coming year. The secretary just handed me this slip which gives you an idea of the requirements in order to be eligible to vote for officers. (Reads extracts from const.i.tution.) The first will be the selection of a president for the coming year. Nominations are in order.

Mr. Bradley: Mr. President, it is said that republics are ungrateful, but it is not necessary for horticultural societies to be ungrateful. It has been, I think, in the past, and I hope it may continue to be in the future, the policy of this society to recognize the services of its officers and so we, I think, are justified in recognizing the distinguished and efficient services of our present presiding officer. I take great pleasure in placing in nomination for president of this society the Honorable Thomas E. Cashman. (Applause.)

Nomination is duly seconded and there are no other nominations.

Mr. Crosby: I move that the secretary be instructed to cast the unanimous ballot of this society for Thomas E. Cashman as president of this society.

Motion is seconded and carried.

Mr. Cashman: Friends, I deeply appreciate this honor that you have conferred upon me. I am always ready to contribute my mite towards the service of the people, but I am never happy unless I am convinced that I am able to give all that the position demands. Your selection of me as your presiding officer for the sixth time convinces me that you are at least satisfied with what I have been able to do for you and this, I a.s.sure you, makes me extremely happy.

I will endeavor to show my appreciation by doing all that is within my power to further the interests of this society made up of men and women that cannot be excelled for intelligence, cleanliness of habits and honorable and right living. I know a great many horticulturists, not only of this state but of other states, and they, I a.s.sure you--and you know it yourselves--are far above the average. I therefore deem it a great honor to be known as the president of one of the best organizations, I do not care whether it is horticultural or otherwise, in this country today. I thank you. (Applause.)

The President: I find there are two members of the executive board to be elected at this time, one to succeed Professor LeRoy Cady and another Mr. R. A. Wright, whose terms of office expire at this time.

Mr. Cady and Mr. Wright are nominated to succeed themselves, nominations are seconded and upon motion the secretary cast the unanimous ballot of the society for Mr. Cady and Mr. Wright as members of the executive board for the coming three years.

The President: The next will be the selection of a treasurer.

Mr. George Strand is renominated, nomination is seconded and on motion the secretary cast the ballot of the society for Mr. George W. Strand for treasurer.

The President: The secretary places in nomination the following men, as vice presidents of this organization. I will ask him to name the list.

Vice-Presidents: C. E. Snyder, 1st Cong. Dist., Preston; S. D.

Richardson, 2nd Cong. Dist., Winnebago; J. K. Andrews, 3rd Cong. Dist., Faribault; B. Wallner, Jr., 4th Cong. Dist., St. Paul; F. H. Nutter, 5th Cong. Dist., Minneapolis; Matt. Tschida, 6th Cong. Dist., St. Cloud; G.

A. Anderson, 7th Cong. Dist., Renville; J. Kimball, 8th Cong. Dist., Duluth; A. L. Hanson, 9th Cong. Dist., Ada; A. W. Richardson, 10th Cong.

Dist., Howard Lake.

Secretary Latham reads names of nominees for vice presidents and places them in nomination. Nomination is seconded and upon motion the secretary is instructed to cast the ballot of the society for the persons named as vice-presidents.

The President: The next number will be a speech by Mr. S. P. Crosby, chairman of the committee that was selected by this a.s.sociation to go before the legislature at the last session and try to secure an appropriation sufficient to build a home for this society. (See index.)

The next gentleman on the program is our friend Clarence Wedge, who is going to tell us of his trip out to Yellowstone Park. (See index.)

Mr. Wedge: Not exactly to Yellowstone Park. We came within a day's drive of the Yellowstone, but our interest and enthusiasm went in another direction this year.

Mr. Wedge reads paper.

The President: "Peonies New and Old," by Mr. A. M. Brand, of Faribault, one of the best peony specialists in the state.

A Member: And of the world. (Applause.) (See index.)

Discussion.

The President: We have another noted horticulturist with us today from Illinois. You have all heard of the Senator Dunlap strawberry. The originator is with us today, Senator Dunlap, of Savoy, Illinois. He will be on the program tomorrow. I will be pleased to have the senator come forward and give us a word of greeting.

Mr. Dunlap: I hardly think it is necessary for me to come forward. I will be on the program a couple of times, and you will hear all that you care to from me. I am very glad to be here with you. It has been some time since I met with your society, but I remember well the very pleasant time I had at that time. I came this week from the Michigan Horticultural Society, in session at Grand Rapids, and I was very loath to leave such an interesting meeting, but I knew when I came to Minneapolis I would be in just as interesting a meeting. I wish to disabuse your minds of the statements made by your honorable chairman through an error. I am not the originator of the Senator Dunlap strawberry. The Reverend Mr. Reisenour (?) is the originator of the strawberry, and he thought it was a thrifty, strong, healthy plant and would stand the name of Dunlap, so he gave it to the strawberry.

(Laughter and Applause.)

The President: I stand corrected. I have been misinformed, although I think you carry the honor. Our time is up. I have been requested to announce that the lantern talk given by Mrs. James Jennison will take place at the close of the Woman's Auxiliary meeting. Some very talented ladies are to speak this afternoon, and I hope you will all stay and listen to them. I will now turn the meeting over to the Women's Auxiliary and request Mrs. F. M. Powers, who will preside, to take the chair.

Mrs. Powers: Just a continuation, I hope, of our good program that was begun this afternoon, and we will now listen to Mrs. Clarence Wedge, of Albert Lea, on the "Value of Horticulture to the Farm." Mrs. Wedge is not a stranger to horticulture nor to this society. (See index.)

Mrs. Powers: Some one has said that the enemy of art is the enemy of nature, and art is nothing more than the highest sagacity and attainment of human nature. We have with us Mrs. Cyrus W. Wells, who has had considerable experience in this line and will give us the practical side.

Mrs. Wells spoke on "Art Made Practical."

Mrs. Powers: "The Day's Work," by Mrs. John B. Irwin.

Mrs. Powers: According to our program we were to have one speaker tomorrow morning because we thought she could not be here at this time, but Mrs. Dunlap is here and will favor us now, if you please.

Talk by Mrs. A. M. Dunlap on "Better Methods in the Home."

Mrs. Powers: The last number on our program will be "The Highway Beautiful," by Mrs. Jennison.

Mrs. Jennison gave a lantern talk.

President Cashman: We have a very important question to be considered this afternoon, and, fortunately for us, it is going to be taken care of by one of our best men--"Breeding for Hardiness"--something this gentleman has been doing all his life. He has met with a great deal of success, and we are profiting by it. That gentleman is Professor N. E.

Hansen, of Brookings, South Dakota. (Applause.) (See index.)

The President: Mr. C. E. Older has some suggestions to make, and we will give him an opportunity to talk at this time.

Mr. Older: Mr. President, and Ladies and Gentlemen: In a meeting of some of the leading exhibitors of the state fair yesterday they expressed quite a bit of dissatisfaction with the present manner of awarding premiums on commercial apples, that is, boxes of apples and one-layer boxes. The point was that it would be a good thing if the state could be divided so that the sections which are more favorable for the development of the apple would be in a section by themselves, and the balance of the state compete by itself. The following resolution was formulated to bring before this society, asking for their opinion oh the subject and discussion:

Resolved, That we ask the state fair board that the state be divided into two sections for the purpose of exhibit at the State Fair, making two cla.s.ses, one being the Wealthy apple and the other cla.s.s comprising all other varieties of box and one layer apples, the state to be divided as follows: Beginning at the Mississippi river on the north line of Goodhue County and running west on the north line of Goodhue, Rice, Le Sueur and Nicollet Counties, thence running south on the west line of Nicollet, Blue Earth and Faribault. All those counties lying east and south of these lines are to const.i.tute the first district, the balance of the state being known as the second district.

We also ask the state fair board that first, second, third, fourth and fifth premiums be offered on all apples, and on all the next ten lower exhibits a certain premium be paid to all deserving exhibits.

And we ask that premiums be offered on Everbearing Strawberries showing both bearing plants and fruit of the Progressive, Superb, and any other varieties.

We also ask the state fair board that they make some practical arrangements to get the horticultural exhibits moved to the state fair from the depots in a more satisfactory and cheaper manner than the present arrangements.

I move you that this resolution be adopted.

Motion was seconded and carried unanimously.

Meeting adjourned.

December 10, 1915, Morning Session.

The President: We are to have a talk on "Spraying the Orchard," by Senator Dunlap, of Illinois, this morning. (See index.)

Discussion.