stances, for I would be the last one to say that the lumbermen should not pay as large a per centage of taxes as the poorest farmer or village householder, but in many cases this taxing is egregiously unjust. The assessor and the tax gatherer,the town board and several other influential individuals, act in a criminal collusion. The lumberman's timber lands are unmercifully taxed to build school houses out of proportion to the needs of the children; to build bridges out of proportion to the needs of the neighborhood; and to give jobs to the settlers, who delight to rob the "lumber baron" under guise of the law.

To guard against these three enemies the lumbermen say: "Let us get our trees into bankable dollars as fast as possible. It is better to bequeath our children government bonds than these precarious holdings where fire and the worm do corrupt and where thieves break through and steal."

After the lumberman has eaten his apple, will he give the core to the state? Well, hardly. In the majority of cases the lumbermen are now saying: "They ain't agoin' to be no core."

Five years ago you could have passed around the hat and taken up a collection of almost any quantity of odd forties and sections the lumbermen were letting go for taxes, They do not do that so much now. The reasons for this are several. Many lumbermen are selling cut over lands for farms and making a little good money that way. They are coming to think that no land is so poor but that some poor devil will buy it to make a farm of. Then it is often the case that wood and tie rights are sold on these lands for much more than the cost of taxes. And beyond all that in the farther north, no lumberman is sure that he will not wake up some morning and find a hill full of iron ore on his cut-over land. So the rule now is to keep the taxes up on cut-over lands, and pay back taxes on the lands you have let go by default several years ago. This means that the amount of land the proposed forest reserve may expect from the hands of the lumbermen is growing less just at the present time.

What then is the conclusion of the whole matter? It is that unless conditions materially change, lumbermen will not change their present policy regarding the preservation of pine timber. They do not much fear a lumber famine, for even now they find it hard to compete with what seems unlimited lumber from the southern and Pacific states. The present conditions they think practically unavoidable, and the swift destruction of the pine forests inevitable. As to preservation by replanting, they know as little as the same number of farmers. Therefore their policy is, as I said, that of laissez faire, and their plan nothing.

ANTS ON THE LAWN.-Bisulphide of carbon placed in the ground at or near the ant-hills will destroy the insects. Take a dibble or sharp stick and thurst it into the ant-hill, making a hole six or eight inches in depth; into this pour about two tablespoonsful of the bisulphide, and then press the soil together at the surface to close the hole. The fumes of the liquid will penetrate the soil and kill the ants. This is the most effective of all the means that have ever been employed for this purpose.-Vicks Magazine for July.

MRAKETING SMALL FRUIT.
(Selected.)

That fruit may reach the customer as fresh and attractive as possible, is the desire of growers. It is impossible to cart it any distance in the sun and have it presentable when delivered. A covering of some kind is necessary, but great care must be taken in selecting material for this purpose. Blankets or black rubber cloth are objectionable. I used to use a marble oilcloth, raised a little above the fruit, so as to permit circulation of air, but I found that this was not just the right thing, for when making my rounds the last of the fruit would be in bad condition. I decided therefore to build a top for my wagon which would exclude the sun and dust and yet allow the air to circulate freely.

WAGON FOR MARKETING SMALL FRUITS.

I examined several fruit wagon covers but found none that suited me, so I constructed one myself and it is represented in the accompanying illustration. Shelves are made of white wood slats half inch thick and two and quarter inches wide. They rest upon rods at b which have thumb burrs at each end and permit a change in position when the top is used for purposes other than carrying fruit. For covering I selected the best duck I could find, cut to fit the frame and stitched it together upon a sewing machine. It was then ready for fastening with finishing tacks. The sketch shows the curtains unfastened to give an idea of the interior. The front end is open so that air may circulate freely. On the outside the word strawberry is printed on a separate strip of cloth, which is movable, so that the proper word be substituted when other fruits are being sold. I can now deliver fruit as fresh in appearance as when picked, and when I drive ten miles to one of my markets the fruit does not look much the "worse for wear."

STRAWBERRIES IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.-A prominent strawberry grower of Oswego county refers to last season as the most wonderful one for receipts within his knowledge. A good many growers realize from $1,000 down to $500 and $300 from a single acre of strawberries; $52,000 was paid in for strawberries in one small town. -0. J. Farmer.

A VOICE FROM THE FARMER'S INSTITUTE.

A. K. BUSH,

.Lecturer on Horticulture in the Minnesota Farmers' Institute.

In nearly every place we visit I find a large number who are interested and are planting trees and fruits quite extensively, many being surprised with their success when they had expected failures. They are growing small fruits, plums and apples in abundance, which means they are used and enjoyed as they can and should be in the family.

A farmer living near this city said: "I am growing all the apples my family can use, from a few trees, some varieties keeping until spring." Another said: "I have lived in this county more than twenty-five years and thought I could not grow fruits here. A few years ago I bought an assortment of fruit trees, bushes and plants from a local grower who was strictly reliable, using his judgment and experience in selecting varieties, planting, etc. Now, we are enjoying fruits of our own growing in large assortment and great abundance. I never fully understood their value before growing and using them as a staple food in my familly. I wish I had known something of the possibilities of a fruit garden and orchard and how cheaply the same can be grown even in this part of Minnesota. With such knowledge I would have had plenty of home grown fruits years ago."

The experience of this man is being repeated all over our state where Minnesota grown stock is planted, tested and approved varieties selected, using intelligent care and up-to-date methods of cultivation, setting, protection, etc., as taught by the Minnesota Hort. Society through its practical instructors and publications.

Every fruit grower in our state should make a special effort with his neighbor to extend the usefulness of this society and its work by securing additional members, who need its help and encouragement in overcoming the prejudice now existing with us against fruit growing, caused largely by planting inferior stock and worthless varieties to us, grown and sold by dealers from the south and east. Plant Minnesota grown stock and such varieties as succeed best in your locality and are on the "Fruit List," same being recommended by majority vote of members present at the annual meeting of the State Horticultural Society. Follow these suggestions,and you are sure to succeed with fruit growing in Minnesota.

COMMENDATION IS APPRECIATED.-"I consider your report a great credit to the state, and to your horticulturists; you may well be proud of the interest that you have worked up,considering the great disadvantages that you have to contend with in some respects compared with more favored localities. But I see you are not discouraged in the least, and I wish you success in every undertaking to advance horticulture."

Sarcoxie, Mo., Jan. 25, 1898.

D. M. MCNALLIE.

Secretary's Corner.

OUR MEMBERSHIP FOR 1898.-It now stands at 472 for annual members as against 282 at this time a year ago, a gain of 190 for this year Any who have not yet done so are invited to renew at once.

HAVE YOU REceived the 1897 REPORT?-If not please notify the secretary, or if you live at or near Minneapolis call in person at the secretary's office for it and save the society the seventeen cents postage.

WHY THE 1897 REPORT COMES LATE.-The unexpectedly large number of members on the roll at this time of year has exhausted the first lot of bound volumes of 1897, and there will be a little delay in sending out the next one. It may hit you.

A CORRECTION.-The reporter lost the point of my remarks on ash seed in the last issue, (See page 12.) which was, that all the seed shipped to Milwaukee were gathered from one tree; which was intended to emphasize what Mr. Underwood said in regard to producing numerous varieties from the same seed. O. M. LORD.

THE PRESENT LECTURER ON HORTICULTURE AT THE FARMER'S INSTITUTE is Mr. A. K. Bush, of Dover, Minn. This is a new field for Mr. Bush, but he brings to the work considerable experience in horticulture and an observing mind. We expect to hear of his success as the apostle of our beloved art. He is well known as one of our working members.

OUR NEW CONTEMPORARY.-Mr. Clarence Wedge's new sheet, "Northern Fruits," has found its way into our sanctum. What it lacks in size is more than made up in virilty, and we feel like saying heartily "most welcome." In the position it occupies it can say some things which the official organ of this society cannot well say, and so it makes a good complement to our journal. We wish well for this lusty infant and hope to see it grow.

A HINT TO 1897 MEMBERS.—If any member for 1897 who has not renewed his membership for 1898 and does not propose doing 80, is still receiving the "Minnesota Horticulturist," will you please notify the secretary by postal at once that your name may be dropped from the roll. The purpose of the society is to do all the good possible to as many people as possible, and the way to accomplish this is through a large and widely scattered membership, and we hope you will stay with us and aid in this good work.

CALIFORNIA VERSUS MINNESOTA.-Our fellow member, Jas. T. Grimes, has returned from a visit to California, made since our annual meeting, and has been fortunate, as he believes, in exchanging a fruit ranch there for a good solid Minnesota farm at Northfield. The bug, the worm and the insidious fungus are making rapid encroachments on the fruit growing interests of the Pacific state, saying nothing of the rapidly developing fruit interests of localities only half way there. Mr. Grimes is wise in "changing" in time. His experience in this industry in both localities proves him not dissatisfied with the state of things at home.

THE NEW STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY BOARD.-Do we like it? We do. In fact it so much resembles the old one that it is hard to tell the difference. Mr. John Cooper, of St. Cloud, takes the place of President Weaver at the head of the board, and the balance is as before. The friends of Maj. McGinnis and "Jim" Letson had to hustle a little,but on the final ballot both were elected unanimously, and the utmost good feeling prevailed. With this honest, capable and experienced management the state fair should take another good step upward this year in making the next annual fair a little the best we have ever had yet-and they are going to do it.

A HORTICULTURAL CLUB AT PARK RAPIDS.-A local club in the interest of horticulture has just been organized at Park Rapids, in our state. The president predicts "a howling succeess" and a membership of twenty-five or more to advocate our cause.

The time is evidently at hand when the interest in our art aroused by the activity and influence of the state society is to bear fruit in the form of organized local effort. No special move has been made by our officers to bring this about, but it is being done by a natural process which always brings together for further and more effective service those in whom has been aroused a common interest. A strong central organization loyally supported, as is ours, is necessarily the source of the widely spreading influence which is bringing about this result.

ARE YOUR FRUITS WELL PROTECTED?-Prof. S. B. Green, has called attention to this important subject, and the secretary can do no better than quote his language:

In the next issue of the Horticulturist,I think it important to say something about the desirability of having strawberry beds covered deeply in winters when the ground is bare of snow. This was plainly shown, you will remember, two years ago by the general failure of strawberry beds where they were only thinly covered and the general success of them where they had been deeply covered. You remember O. C. Gregg brought this point out very plainly at his place. In fact, I think his success that year was due almost entirely to his heavy covering. This is a good time to bring this matter before our society."

With the ground so devoid of snow protection and so dry as at the present writing, it would be well to remember also that all fruits will endure the expected severe weather better with a good