The apple became famous, and seeds and cuttings were distributed to all parts of Canada, so that now the McIntosh Red flourishes wherever apples grow in the great dominion.  In 1896 the original tree from which this enormous family sprang was injured by fire, but it continued to bear fruit until five years ago.  Then, after 15 years, it died, and the grateful farmers have raised a marble pillar in honor of the tree which has done so much for the fruit growing industry of their land.

The story of this apple tree illustrates the African proverb that though you can count the apples on one tree, you can never count the trees in one apple.—­January Popular Science Monthly.

Report of Committee on Horticultural Building.

S. P. CROSBY, CHAIRMAN, ST. PAUL.

As you know, at the last legislature there was a bill prepared and introduced asking for an appropriation of $40,000 to build a new home for this society.  It was provided, that that home should be located on the grounds of University Farm or upon the grounds of the State Agricultural Society, and that was to be left to the discretion of the executive board of this society.  The bill is a very well drawn bill, and the committee appeared before the legislature some four or five times.  We went before the committee of the senate and before the committee of the house and senate, and as a matter of fact the result was that the bill never came out of the committee.

The cry last year, as it is every year, was that of retrenchment and low taxes.  Now, that is all right as a general proposition, but Minnesota is not a poor state.  In the cities of course we think we have all the taxes we ought to have, and we think they are pretty high; perhaps you gentlemen living in the country think you have as high taxes as you ought to have, but that the state, for instance, has over $30,000,000 in the school fund, probably reaching up to fifty or sixty millions some day, with other figures which can be given here, shows that Minnesota is not a poor state.  On the other hand, it shows that Minnesota is a rich state.  Certainly there is no good reason why it should not provide a good home for this society, which has earned it and is nearly fifty years old.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, I simply want to say one thing.  Don’t depend upon the committee to do all this work.  While we didn’t get our bill through last year we came away full of courage, and just as sure as night follows the day we are going to have a new home for this society one of these days. (Applause.) But I want it distinctly understood that every member of this society, men and women—­and I certainly include the women because oftentimes they are the best politicians, and they know how to talk to people and get things—­when the next legislature is elected must use his or her influence with the senators and representatives of the various districts of the state and make an impression upon them and get a promise out of them to vote for and support the bill.  A bill will be introduced into the next legislature, and it will probably be this same bill, and if you don’t forget this, but simply do your duty in seeing these representatives and taking the matter up, why there isn’t very much doubt in my judgment but what we will be successful and have our bill passed.