may require the unceasing watchfulness which the feebleness of the aged, or the helplessness of confirmed ill-health calls for. Home duties in parlor, dining-room and kitchen may seem to claim every minute and where is the time for planting and transplanting, for weeding and raking? Let me ask such a person if no money is expended in her home for other things no more a real necessity than flowers?

Does not time pass in wearily folding the hands, while mind and body alike crave, not so much rest, as change? Would not the sweet companionship of the plants you have sown and watched, the budding and the gathering, be more restful in its cheering interest? Would not the little Flower Club, gathering at each other's gardens to give mutual enjoyment and information, bring more real pleasure to your little ones and yourself than many ways in which money is spent. Our President requested me to write on "Flowers without Money," but I feel like putting in a special plea for flowers with money, for more healthful use of that necessary evil. I have seen a wagon load of children, accompanied by father and mother, sometimes even by grandfather and grandmother, come into the city to attend a circus; they could find the money easily for that purpose, but had you gone to their door and said, "you can buy fifty-five plants for three dollars, and they will fill your garden with beauty all summer long, and your house all winter long," they would wonder at you supposing them capable of such a piece of extravagance. I do not mean to say that they ought not to go to the circus. I only wish to hint gently that if they wanted the flowers they would as easily find the way as the road to the city.

There is an endless variety of ways in which we may fill our homes with beauty if we will. When every home has its flower garden and house plants, and every woman does half her house-keeping out of doors, making the home a source of pleasure and enjoyment outside as well as in, healthier minds and bodies will be the sure result.

We may dedicate our floral treasures to the Deity and humanity; and thus carrying the love of God and man into one pleasure, make it one of the means of doing our little

share of blessing and being blessed.

Our floral missions,

taking the brightness of fresh flowers into rooms filled with suffering and often times sin and grief, are like angels of mercy bringing tidings of purity and peace. May the time soon come when every heart may welcome them, and every eye rejoice at the presence of these gifts of love, fresh from the Father's hand!

After the reading of this paper the following resolution was introduced by Mr. Plumb:

WHEREAS, With the advancing agricultural interests of our state the field of labor of the Wisconsin State Horticultural Society is correspondingly enlarged; and,

WHEREAS, The work of this society consists largely in promoting the organization of local societies, and in aiding those already organized, in holding conventions and promoting exhibitions in every part of the state, a work largely volunteer and self-sacrificing on the part of those who actively participate in it; and,

WHEREAS, The work of the society should be enlarged in proportion to the field and the issue of our annual report increased, to secure which we need and will ask for more aid from the state; and,

WHEREAS, While we have hitherto received but five or six hundred dollars per year and the publication of our annual report, from the state, our sister state of Iowa gives one thousand dollars per year; Minnesota the same, and a permanent endowment of 116 acres of land of great value for experimental purposes in horticulture; Michigan two thousand five hundred dollars, and Illinois four thousand dollars per annum,

Resolved, the Rosendale Farmers' Club with whom we meet concurring, That we instruct the executive committee of the Wisconsin State Horticultural Society to make due efforts to secure such additional aid from the state, for the promotion of our work, as in their judgment the object demands.

The resolution was adopted.

Mr. Kellogg then introduced the following resolutions, which were adopted:

WHEREAS, We, the members of the Wisconsin State Horticultural Society, and their invited guests, have enjoyed the unbounded hospitality of our friends and co-workers in Rosendale, and especially that of the members of the Rosendale Farmers' Club; and,

WHEREAS, Owing to their cordial reception we have experienced one of the best summer meetings known in the annals of the society; be it

Resolved, That we extend to the citizens and Farmers' Club of Rosen

dale our heartfelt thanks for the magnificent entertainment and kindly welcome which they have afforded us;

Resolved, That to Mr. G. C. Hill and his family we tender our thanks for the use of his beautiful grounds; and,

Resolved, That the President and Secretary of the Rosendale Farmers' Club, and the ladies who have read papers at this meeting be made honorary members of the Wisconsin State Horticultural Society;

Resolved, That our thanks are hereby tendered to the officers of the railroads which have given us reduced rates; and,

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be furnished the secretary for publication.

A paper on "Fruit for the Farmer," by Mr. N. N. Palmer of Brodhead, was read. Small fruits were then discussed, and the opinion of the members present on the three best varieties of strawberries was called for. President Smith gave Wilson, Kentucky, and Seth Boyden's No. 30; Mr. Plumb gave Wilson, Crescent and Charles Downing; Mr. Peffer, the same; Mr. Kellogg, Captain Jack, Crescent, and Kirkwood; Mr. Hatch, Wilson, Crescent, and Sharpless; Mr. Mason, of Ripon, Crescent, Wilson, and was waiting for the third; Mr. Hamilton, of Ripon, Wilson, Crescent, and Sharpless.

Under reports of the season's small-fruit crop, Mr. Plumb reported that strawberries would yield one-fourth of a crop; cherries more than an average; grapes at first promised to yield a very heavy crop, but they had been much injured by heavy frosts, still the prospect was very fair. Blackberries were loaded with bloom and would need propping and mulching if the fruit matured anything like they promised; Snyder and Stone's Hardy were the best varieties.

Mr. Huntley reported that the Ancient Britons were nearly all killed down; the Snyder was set more largely than Stone's Hardy and was doing well; a large number had recently got Stone's Hardy and its prospects of fruit were good. Cherries were heavily loaded; grapes promised well and would blossom full.

Mr. Hill reported that more interest was taken in small fruits. The season was backward but the prospect was fair. He would not advise setting trees where others had died out, but it could be done; he had them growing and doing

well three years after setting right where other trees had stood.

Mr. Smith reported that his strawberry beds were not so thickly set with vines as usual, but were heavily loaded, and if all matured and were of good size, the ground would be covered with fruit and in some places piled up. The Crescent had a wonderful growth of vines and an abundant show of fruit.

The relation of culture to hardiness was then brought up for discussion. Mr. Hatch stated that hardiness is the capacity in a plant to endure, without injury, the extreme heat and cold of our latitude. The growth of the tree is complete, or should be, by the middle of July, and if made after that it is immature and is called second growth. Culture should be early in the season and so as to push the growth by the first of July. The ends sought by cultivation are vitality, seasonable and mature growth, and not too excessive fruiting.

Mr. Kellogg said that culture includes selection of site, to secure a strong, healthy growth, and to escape early start and late growth in the season, and for this purpose a northern exposure is best. Trees should be cultivated until they reach maturity and bear fruit. The soil should be adapted to the tree and the tree to the climate. High culture induces blight and late culture winter killing. Any check caused by excessive fruitage or drought causes tenderness.

Mr. Plumb said that this question involves the first principles of constitution of tree and maturity of growth. Seasonable growth gives trees hardiness in winter, but culture often lengthens the period of growth and induces weakness. If growth is not made at the proper season the trees are not hardy. We cannot crop the land and rob the tree of required nourishment in the proper season, and then replace it by after-culture as by the application of manure; if a crop takes nourishment from the tree during the season it requires it, weakness must follow. He spoke of Hill's mulching about the trunk, which serves as a harbor for insects and mice; and then there are no feeding roots about the trunk. Mulch

8-HORT.

should be applied away from the trunk out to the drip of the trees.

President Smith then spoke of the Rosendale Farmers' Club, saying that they had worked faithfully in the past, and had done much to promote the agricultural and horticultural interests of the state. It gave him much pleasure to meet with the Society and the citizens of Rosendale, and hoped that we should all meet many times on like occasions. The Society then adjourned to meet in the hall for a festival in the evening. The occasion was a pleasant social one in which music, toasts, speeches and refreshments, were mingled with many expressions of pleasure, good will and kind regards.

MEETING AT THE STATE FAIR.

FOND DU LAC, Wis., September 13th, 1882. In response to a call issued by the President, the members of the State Horticultural Society who were able, assembled in Horticultural Hall, on the Fair Grounds, at 7 P. M., of Wednesday.

The meeting was called to order at the appointed time, President Smith in the chair.

The President remarked that there was no special programme, and no papers were reported to be read; but there were some matters of business to be attended to, and, in accordance with the usual custom of the society, an informal discussion of the lessons and experience of the season was desired.

The question was raised as to how many fall and winter meetings it was best to hold. Expression was given on the part of members to the opinion that it was best for us to hold as many as possible, and a resolution was passed authorizing the president, secretary and executive committee to arrange for holding as many meetings and at such places as seemed advisable and the funds of the society would permit.

The secretary reported his correspondence with Mr. G. B. Brackett, of Iowa, in relation to taking wax casts of our