rtain measure of state co-operation.
The work for horticulture in the state of Minnesota has been developed
under exactly these conditions.

If I remember rightly, this society was organized in 1867. It has
assumed a definite leadership in the development of horticulture in the
state of Minnesota; the university has gradually been adapting itself,
so to speak, to the work of this society. The society and the university
have officially been in close relationship. I believe that in the early
days the secretary was at the same time a university officer and for the
last twenty-five years, I am told that at least one expert of the
university staff has always been a member of the executive board of this
society. This has made a personal bond.

Then the society has done a great many important things. You have stood
by at times when people were not perfectly certain about the importance
of various kinds of scientific work. You have been steadfast. Sometimes
it required courage to stand for the scientific ideals which the
university was attempting to carry out in important work that had a
bearing upon horticulture.

And you have, of course, the chief responsibility and distinction of
having seen to it that our fruit-breeding farm should be established. I
believe you were also kind enough to pick out the site, although none of
you were personally interested in the particular real estate ultimately
purchased.

So that we feel--we of the university feel--that the work of
horticulture in this state is distinctly a co-operative undertaking, and
that the leadership and enterprise and vision of this society have been
the chief things that developed horticulture in Minnesota to the point
it has reached. But we do believe that the co-operation of your
university is an important and, we hope, from now on will be an
increasingly important thing. Certain work is going on constantly at the
University in the various departments, and that work is of distinct
benefit because you recognize it.

We had a good illustration a few minutes ago. The professor of soils was
having his brains picked, as he had a perfect right to have, by you. You
were asking him questions, and I noticed once or twice he said he didn't
know. That must have inspired confidence in him; I have a good deal of
faith in people who don't know it all. That shows two things--they have
a sense of humor, and they expect to find out. There is something
pathetic in a person who