trade or business in the world. It is to our interest to keep step. We are very foolish if we do not. We can only keep step when we have a common interest, a common brotherhood or one heart of fellowship and love. It is said of the children of Issachar that they were "men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do" [1 Chronicles, 12th chapter, verse 32].

Our Grange needs such men to-day; "men of understanding." wise men, practical men; men who understand our present necessities, men who have "understanding of the times" in which we live. True wisdom does not lie in comprehending past states of society, so much as in realizing the needs and wants of our own days and times. We need men that have understanding of the times to know what the National Grange ought to do, North, South, East, West, to keep step in one common cause with one common interest, aud one heart of fellowship and love.

Sister Sarah G. Baird, Worthy Pomona, read her annual report, as follows:

Report of Worthy Pomona.

Worthy Master :

Roman mythology placed Pomona in the rank of the higher divinities. With her pruning hook and knife she was among the leaders in the procession of the gods. So good, sound, well-flavored fruit should take front rank in the essentials for civilized people. Not only does it contribute to their sustenance and good living, but becomes a necessity for its medicinal and sanitary properties.

Pomona's grafting and budding, pruning and thinning into symmetry all trees and fruit-producing plants, with approved modes of propagating and hybridizing, have revealed marvelous possibilities and removed many barriers to obtaining fruits of any desired size or quality, fine aroma and brilliant coloring. The limit of improvement does not rest in producing fruits of great size, beauty and sweetness. There are other desirable qualities to be obtained. Toward this end she has devoted her energies.

The elimination of undesirable organs, the prickles or briers of the berries and thorns of the citrus trees are unpleasant and useless protuberances that by a judicious selection of grafts and seeds will produce a new race of thornless plants.

All these great achievements and developments have in pomology been gained through many difficulties and discouragements that have been met and conquered.

America a century ago produced few fruits, other than the wild or native, consisting chiefly of berries, with a few apples, pears, plums, quinces and cherries of inferior quality, nearly all of which show Pomona's improved cultivation, yielding a large profit yearly, while tons of the native blueberries find ready sale upon the market with no successful attempt at cultivation.

The apple is the great staple American fruit with an estimated yield of 60,000,000 barrels yearly. Our leading market is the United States, while more than a million barrels are shipped to England, where our apples are highly appreciated.

Strawberries have been greatly improved, becoming an inexpensive luxury that can be successfully grown everywhere; are raised in vast quantities in Florida and sent North all Winter; in California most of the year round.

Peaches are next in favor as the most delicious of the stone fruits. It is not known to be native in any country, never having been found wild. Its origin is unknown.

No fruit has received greater cultivation the world over than the grape-or admired for a longer period. Wine from grapes was a luxury when the first classics were written. Italy and France are the grape centers of the world, although California is a strong rival. Yet no better table grapes are raised than our Middle and Western States produce.

In fact, America is competing in the race for many laurels that our cousins across the water have till recently carried, among which is the Sicily lemon. Thanks to Pomona, the art of curing has at last been learned here, and to-day as fine lemons come from California as are found in Sicily.

Oranges, olives, limes, figs and pineapples are now being largely supplied in our own country, and are no longer considered expensive luxuries comparatively. For a penny can now be purchased that which men with fortunes could not have a century ago. Then there were no fruit merchants in the United States, now they are a large and prosperous class, with more than 10,000 fruit stands in New York city alone. The only foreign fruits then indulged in by even the wealthy was occasionally dried prunes, currants or raisins. Now over a hundred refrigerator fruit steamers bring fruit to the New York city market. These are capable of great and sustained speed, so that fruit comes in the quickest time and with the greatest protection The following taken from the Commercial and Industrial Geography shows that $13.870,000 yearly goes to other countries for foreign fruits. Add to this the 60,000,000 barrels of home raised apples, be

sides the limitless quantities of other fruits of all kinds raised here, and we must conclude "that this is indeed a land and age of luxury."

Under the call of the roll of States for the presentation of reports of Masters of State Granges, the following were presented and read:

ILLINOIS.

OLIVER WILSON, Master.

The Grange in Illinois has during the year been active in the various lines of work, and while we have gained but seven Subordinate and one Pomona Grange, our workers have been and are now in the field doing what they can towards disseminating Grange principles in unorganized territory, but we believe the best way to build up the Order is by keeping those Granges already organized in a healthy and flourishing condition, and to this end most of our energy has been expended by visits to and correspondence with the weaker Granges and our greatest and most satisfactory gains in membership have been by additions to the rolls of wellestablished Granges. Nothing we believe hinders the progress of Grange work more than dead and dying Granges scattered over the State, whereas in the community of an active organization, it is comparatively easy to place another in the adjoining neighborhood.

Our people are becoming more interested in practicable cooperation as taught in our organic law, and we have requested each Subordinate Grange to embody in their quarterly reports to the State Secretary the amount of co-operative sales and purchases, and also the profit on sales and the saving on purchases arising from such transactions.

Our Granges observe Lecturer's hour and are thereby developing writers and speakers among the younger members.

MINNESOTA.

MRS. SARAH G. BAIRD, Master.

Worthy Master:

We are encouraged by the results of Grange work in our State the past year. The Order has been strengthened by more new Granges than for any years previous. Reports more promptly given and of more hopeful tone. Quite a number of Grange halls have been erected and several cooperative or mercantile companies established, doing quite a business in the exchange of products of the farm for other

necessaries and comforts of home, much to the Patron's profit.

While our State Lecturer and Deputy have done valiant work in certain portions of our State, adding twelve strong Granges to our number, we believe if we could have had a greater number of workers in the various sections of our State a much larger augmentation would have resulted!. There are calls for a non partisan farmers' organization from every direction, while we have some dormant Granges that need "vigorous treatment." Minnesota has scored another victory for the School of Agriculture, which is now open to girls as well as boys.

The Committee appointed by our State Grange, who reported two years ago a failure to secure an appropriation from the Legislature for this purpose, were continued, and have in connection with the Legislative Committee labored most faithfully and diligently, with this result: An appro-priation of ($25,000) twenty-five thousand dollars for buildings or dormitories and ($5,000) five thousand dollars yearly for running expenses. The buildings were put up during the Summer and all plans completed. Now with an attendance of about forty, the utmost capacity of the building is sixty, but will be enlarged as the school grows in numbers. and popularity. It is now much larger than the boy's school was the first year it was launched as a practical farm school,— about ten years ago, from which, March, 1897, twenty-six graduates received diplomas as full-fledged farmers from a school of several hundred. We have reason to believe the girls will do equally as well ten years hence. In a course we believe Minnesota is the first to offer them. The faculty and professors have expressed appreciation of the work of the Grange, between whom the most friendly relations exist, with a desire to still farther work together for the advancement of education to the masses.

The Committee on Credentials submitted the following additional report, and, on motion of Brother S. H. Ellis, of Ohio, it was approved and the Committee continued : Worthy Master :

We, your Committee on Credentials, hereby present a further report, as follows:

We find West Virginia entitled to representation by T. C. Atkeson and Mrs. Cordelia Atkeson; Washington, by Augustus High and Mrs. Ida V. High; Missouri, by D. N. Thompson and Mrs. A. K. Thompson.

We also find the credentials from Brother Jabel Robinson, representing Dominion Grange of Canada, and we recommend that he be extended the usual courtesies of this body. S. O. BOWEN.

MARY T. HUXLEY.

MRS. AMANDA HORTON.
HENRY RHOADES.

JOHN T. Cox.

The Worthy Secretary received and read the following Better:

JOHN TRIMBLE,

BROWNSVILLE, TENN., October 20, 1897.

WASHINGTON, D. C.

My Dear Sir and Brother:

Your favor of recent date to hand. In answer, I am pained to say that the Grange in our State is in a low state of health. There is at present but two Subordinate Granges in good standing, viz. : No. 121, sixty-five members, W. L. Richardson, Worthy Master, and Miss E. R. Thomas, Worthy Secretary; and No. 1113, fifty-four members, W. S. Robinson, Master, and C. R. Merrick, Secretary. The P. O. of Master and Secretary of No. 121 is Brownsville. The address of the Master of No. 1113 is Adolphus; the Secretary, Loudon.

The

We regret that this state of things exists. It seems that the people in this State have lost hope of the Grange. Order is not able financially to put Lecturers in the field to build up the Order. There is quite a number of good members throughout the State that are well-wishers, and I think withsome help from the National Grange, in the way of Lecture work, good could be accomplished. Hoping that in the future I can make a better report from Tennessee, I am yours faithfully,

E. L. ALLEN, Secretary State Grange. Sister Irene L. Hilleary, of Oregon, offered the following, which was unanimously adopted :

Resolved, That a Committee of Condolence on the death of Sister Sarah L. Hayes, of Oregon State Grange, be appointed to report appropriate resolutions to this Grange.

At 4:30 o'clock p. m. the labors of the day were closed.