retary, 3100
South Spaulding Avenue, Chicago.

APPLE TREES AS A WINDBREAK.--John W. Maher, of Devils Lake,
N.D., in correspondence has spoken at two different times of the use of
apple trees as one feature of windbreaks in his vicinity, using such
varieties as Duchess, Patten's Greening, Hibernal, etc. In this
connection he says "probably it is only the amateur horticulturist who
sets a row of young apple trees in the stubble fields as a windbreak for
apple grafts, but this has been done here and the windbreak is
satisfactory. I believe that the apple is more hardy in this kind of
soil than it is generally considered to be. If the apple tree is
properly limbed so as to shade its trunk and larger limbs it is a real
success."

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY PERIODICALS.--February, 1894, the first
number of the monthly issued by this society was published and sent out
to its members. Publishing the report in this way as a monthly was an
experiment, which has proved to be a very successful one indeed, and
this method of publication has now for a long time been a permanent
feature of the work of this society. In 1894 the society had about six
hundred members. The increase in the membership of the association since
that period has brought the roll to high water mark this year at 3,700.
At that time as far as we know no other horticultural society was
publishing its report as a monthly. Quite a number of state societies
are now doing something of this sort, though not exactly following the
same plan as the Minnesota society, our report appearing as a monthly
magazine and being bound up later with list of members, index, etc.,
making altogether the annual report. The only association that has
exactly followed our plan is the Manitoba Society. Wisconsin, Kansas,
Nebraska, Virginia and other associations not now recalled are sending
out a monthly to their membership. Illinois and perhaps some others are
publishing a quarterly. Some of the state boards of horticulture are
publishing a monthly, notably the California board, and in some cases
the state boards of agriculture are doing this also. The plan
inaugurated by this society is being slowly popularized and will
undoubtedly continue to be made use of more and more as the study and
practice of horticulture develops in our country.

GARDEN HELPS

Conducted by Minnesota Garden Flower Society

Edited by MRS. E. W. GOULD, 2644 Humboldt Avenue So.
Minneapolis.

GARDEN HELPS F