ating our best nut trees. He also offered three prizes of $5
each for a nut contest and did the work necessary to get publicity for
this contest. He sent letters to the members of the horticultural
societies of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Ohio
which resulted in our getting 24 new members, mostly from the state of
Pennsylvania. Twenty-five dollars of the cost of this circularizing the
president paid out of his own pocket. The rest was more than made up by
the fees of new members. The president also had printed an educational
leaflet on nut growing for distribution by Mr. Cobb with the nut trees
which he sends to the schools and farmers of Michigan. With Professor
Close he was on the finance committee which sent a circular letter to
the members of the Association for funds to help pay for the printing of
the annual report, and obtained advertisements for the report. As stated
in the treasurer's report contributions for this purpose amounted to
$42.50 and advertisements brought in $42.00.

_Prizes_

The Association offered last year prizes of $5 each for the best
shagbark hickory nut, black walnut and hazel nut sent in.

Something over a hundred specimens were received and the prize for
hickory nut was awarded to J. K. Triplett of Elkins, W. Va. The prize
for black walnut was awarded to J. G. Rush of West Willow, Pa. Mr. Rush
returned his prize to be used for the purposes of the Association. No
prize for hazels was awarded as only one or two insignificant specimens
were sent in.

Perhaps the stimulation of this contest accounts for our being able to
offer such substantial prizes for this year. In addition to the $80
worth of prizes already announced the secretary has received from a life
member, James H. Bowditch of Boston, a check for $25 as a prize to be
offered by the Association for a hickory nut under such conditions as
the Association may decide. A circular announcing these prizes has been
sent out to agricultural and other papers to the number of 200, the
expenses of which have been borne by another member, Mr. Chas. H. Plump
of Connecticut. A committee on competitions should be appointed or the
direction of them delegated to some already existent committee.

_Membership_

Seventy-four members were added during the interval between this meeting
and the last, one less than in the previous year. Since its organization
287 persons have joined the Association. We have at present 153 paid