On motion duly made and seconded, the report was received, and referred to the Committee on Finance.

The President, A. E. GIPSON, then delivered his annual address, which was as follows:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, -It was the opinion of one of the greatest men of ancient times that the importance of a nation could be judged by the fruit products of the soil; so this very wise man counseled his people when they went to a new land for the first time, to test the fruits of that land and know something of its pomology. We can commend the opinion of this great law-giver of the Jews in this respect, and we could go further to-day and doubt the sanity of any who would seek to found a nation or a commanwealth without having first investigated the horticulture of the country. In fact, the flowers, trees and fruits have become such a part of our everyday lives that we consider them a necessity. Parker Earl, in a recent address, made the statement that horticulture, at the present time in this country, is doing more to bring about a higher and better civilization than all the manufactories, forges and trade guilds of the country, and I would say that in my judgment,

horticulture is capable of doing more for Colorado than all the smelters of the State and the mineral wealth of the mountains.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, we have before us a practical demonstration of the possibilities of the development of horticulture, at least in certain directions, in Colorado. Now, there is this about the work in which we are engaged, it is something which we cannot compute from the standpoint of a money value. The wealth of our mines belongs to material matters, while the wealth of horticulture goes beyond that; you cannot estimate it any more than you can estimate the value of the sunshine, of the unseen air which surrounds us. So far as the work of our Society is concerned, it has been from the first, of course, slow but steady; improving constantly. I remember very well that not many years ago you could scarcely get an exhibit. We are gaining gradually. It requires a long time to develop the horticultural advantages of any country. The work is necessarily slow, but we are gaining. The special function of this Association should be to enlarge horticulture in every direction. It is said by the founder of a great religion, that, if he had two loaves of bread, he would sell one of them and buy hyacinths, for with them he could feed the soul. This is but another way of stating that we live not by bread alone in this world.

"We have made progress, and very satisfactory progress. Our interest is for the good, and to help the farmers and planters of the State. But we have been very seriously handicapped; we should try to get needed legislation, and we should conduct our Society in such a manner as to make us worthy to demand recognition at the hands of the Legislature. We are doing work which they cannot afford to ignore. Our business is to encourage every department of horticulture. We need especially to carry out these recommendations which have heretofore been made. We must know what is best adapted for general planting, in the way of trees and shrubs and their culture, and we should be sure of our ground that the planters of the State can look to this Society for advice and rely upon its recommendations.

"We must be careful what we recommend and how we recommend, so that our recommendations will stand the test. We ought to make it our business to recommend the horticultural products which are suited to special localities in the State, as well as those of general adaptation, and in doing so, be careful to make the proper distinction.

"Our law-makers should be taught to make appropriate laws for the preservation of our forest trees, and we desire laws enacted for the protection of the State against the attacks of injurious insects. We want to protect the horticultural interests of the State in various directions. When we get the bill drafted that we need, we shall then go before our law-makers and insist upon proper recognition.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, in conclusion let me say, in the years which I have served in the capacity of President of this Association, I must thank you for the patience which you have shown towards me, and for your kind indulgence in indulgence in very many directions. While my work has not been what I might wish it had been, I assure you that my heart has been in this work, and hence from the very first I did what I could, in my way, to encourage those horticulturists living in our State, and while I have not done all I would like to have done, I am anxious to see the Society prosper, and while I shall retire from this office to give place to another, to that end shall I labor with might and main."

The committee on Floriculture, through JOHN DAVIS, then reported as follows:

FLORICULTURE.

Floriculture has now become an important industry. in this section of the country, and has arrived at a point from which it is bound to make rapid strides.

Denver with her beautiful homes and their surroundings, is being made more and more beautiful every year

by the introduction of choice flower beds and foliage plants, ornamental trees and groups of shrubbery and hardy herbaceous plants. It is but a few years

since a few shade trees and a bit of lawn were the sole attempts at ornamentation about our homes. Now, frequent are the beds of crocus, hyacinth, tulips and narcissus, that greet our senses on the first days of early spring; and even if our people have not the flower bed to decorate with, they decorate their windows with these early spring beauties.

We wonder that there are not more of these bulbs cultivated, for they are now so cheap, and are of such easy culture that every one could afford to adorn their gardens with a few. The sales of bulbs, we feel confident, have increased two hundred fold in the last two years.

Following these earliest spring flowers, we have pansies, a flower which, within the past few years has been developed wonderfully, until now the variety of colorings, and size of the flowers, are simply indescribable for beauty. Pansies can be raised from seed with fair success, but it is better to select a few choice varieties from some florist's beds, and then let them perpetuate themselves.

Beautiful effects in floriculture can be made with annuals, by sowing the seeds in April or May, out of doors, or some indoors, such as sweet peas, phlox, drummondii, alyssum, mignonette; calendulas, larkspur, candytuft, zinneas, single dahlias and a score of others. These old garden favorites of bygone days are now becoming fashionable again, and in this way their history is repeating itself. Certainly their beauty is not surpassed by any hot-house plants, and their usefulness. is bound to increase as their better qualities become. known to the present generation. No better sub-tropical