TO MEMBERS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES.—­Occasionally a member of an auxiliary society writes to this office asking for a copy of the annual volume of the society.  Members of auxiliary societies are entitled to this volume, but the State Society does not pay postage on it, the amount received from auxiliary societies for memberships not permitting this expense.  Any member of any auxiliary society who wishes to have a copy of the annual volume mailed from this office should send with the application postage at the rate of seven cents if within one hundred fifty miles of Minneapolis, and ten cents to points in the state more than one hundred fifty miles from Minneapolis.

BUY NURSERY STOCK AT HOME.—­There are always more or less agents of foreign nurseries, that is nurseries located outside the state, canvassing for orders of nursery stock in our state, and many citizens are also tempted to reply to advertisements of outside nurseries who are trying to secure business in Minnesota.  It is not my purpose to condemn these outside nurseries nor their methods of doing business, which in most cases undoubtedly are honorable and straight forward.  But there is a real advantage in buying nursery stock at home, that is, from nurserymen located in our own state, and especially from nurserymen who are in the immediate vicinity.  There is no class of goods that one can buy in connection with which there is such opportunity for mistake and fraud as in nursery stock.  It is impossible for any but an expert to tell by the appearance of a tree or plant of any kind what the variety is, and either through mistake or purposely it is no uncommon thing for those purchasing trees to be disappointed as to the names of varieties when they come into fruitage or flower.  If the nurseries are in our own state, or in our vicinity, it is a very easy matter to get at them, and they will almost uniformly be found willing to make good such blunders, or if they don’t and the matter is worth while they can be made to do so.  Don’t place your orders outside of the state if the things you want can be purchased at home.  You will find it a real advantage to act on this counsel.  Especially in the case of strawberry plants the element of distance is a very important one as on account of their leafy character they heat and spoil readily.  A few plants near home are often worth more to the recipient than a large shipment from abroad.

NURSERYMEN OF MINNESOTA.—­The secretary endeavors to keep a correct list of all those engaged in the nursery business in this state.  As far as his personal acquaintance goes of course the list is known to be a correct one, but there are doubtless a number engaged in the nursery business in a small way of whom he does not know personally, and he would be glad to hear from any engaged in the nursery business who are not personally acquainted with him so that their names may be added to this list.  The address of the secretary is always to be found on the front cover page of this magazine.