I must not fail to mention Mr. B. G. Street, from Hebron, Ill., who was present throughout the meeting, an earnest brother, and gave us a practical talk on “marketing.”  Our friend, Chas. F. Gardner, of Osage, Iowa, managed to get here Friday morning after the close of the meeting of the Iowa Horticultural Society, which he had been attending, and so spent the last day of the meeting with us.  Welcome, Brother Gardner!  The meeting would certainly have been incomplete without the presence of those old veterans and long time attendants at our annual gatherings, Geo. J. Kellogg and A. J. Philips, both from the Wisconsin Society.  We need you, dear brothers, and hope you may long foregather with us.

As to that war horse of horticulture, C. S. Harrison, of York, Nebr., what would our meeting be without the fireworks in language which he has provided now for many of these annual occasions.  The wonderful life and sparkle of his message survives with us from year to year, and we look forward eagerly to his annual coming.

There were three contestants who spoke from the platform in competition for the prizes offered from the Gideon Memorial Fund as follows: 

First Prize—­G.  A. Nelson, University Farm School, St. Paul.  Second—­A.  W. Aamodt, University Farm School, St. Paul.  Third—­P.  L. Keene, University Farm School, St. Paul.

Their addresses were all of a practical character and will appear in our monthly.

Prof.  Richard Wellington conducted a fruit judging contest, in connection with which there was a large interest, and prizes were awarded as follows: 

D. C. Webster, La Crescent, First                    $5.00
P. L. Keene, University Farm, St. Paul, Second        3.00
Marshall Hurtig, St. Paul, Third                      2.00

At the annual election the old officers whose terms had expired were all re-elected without opposition, and later the secretary was re-elected by the executive board for the coming year, so that no change whatever was made in the management of the society.  J. M. Underwood, being absent in the south, was nevertheless re-elected by the board as its chairman for the coming year.

A pleasant event of this gathering was the presentation of a handsome gold watch and chain to the secretary, a memento in connection with the termination of his twenty-fifth year as secretary of the society, which expression of appreciation on the part of the members it may well be believed was fully appreciated by the recipient.

The hall was brilliantly decorated with the national colors, which had never been used before at any of our annual gatherings.  What can be more beautiful than the stars and stripes entwined with the colors of foliage and flower.  Never has our place of meeting shown so brightly or been more enjoyed than in this favorable environment.

During the meeting upon the recommendation of the executive board there were five names by the unanimous vote of the society placed upon the honorary life membership roll of the society, as follows:  John Bisbee, Madelia; J. R. Cummins, Minneapolis; Chas. Haralson, Excelsior; F. W. Kimball, Waltham, and S. H. Drum, Owatonna.