3U ^[inc/'icdn Uitiliciilfurc/ Saciili/. 



country has a boumUe.ss capacity for timber production, embracing all the 

 mo.st useful woods of the world. Let every man be encouraged to plant 

 trees rather than destroy them, by all this magnilicent display. 



I have never been more certain than I am now of the usefulness of this 

 Society — of the necessity for the permanent maintenance of such a society. 

 But I think the time has come when we should devise some more etlicicnt 

 means for giving it financial support. It seems to be impossible to support 

 any society of this kind and ])ublish an expensive volume of transaction.s 

 yearly, as wc are doing, upon its membership receipts alone. No horticul- 

 tural society in this country has been so maintained for many years. All of 

 our State societies have an endowment fund or receive aid from State Leg- 

 islatures. We are doing a work of national usefulness, being, as we arc, the 

 largest horticultural society in the world. I am unable to make you what I 

 consider a practicable suggestion, but submit the matter to your superior 

 wisdom. Of one thing I am a&sured : that you should be able in some way 

 to pay your Secretary. The Secretary of this Society should be able to de- 

 vote all of his time to its great work, and he should be well paid for his ser- 

 vices. Of one other thing I am assured ; that you should select a man for 

 my successor who has qualifications which I lack— great energy and wisdom 

 in directing the work of the Society, and abundant means with which to pay 

 all the expenses of running it as it should be done. To such a man I desire 

 now to turn over the responsibilities and the honor of this most honorable 

 position, which I have borne all too long. 



I return you my most sincere thanks for all the kindness with which you 



have for so long assisted my etiorts to serve the good cause in which we all 



labor. 



SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



Secretary Ragan, of Indiana — Owing to extreme pressure of business, it has 

 been quite impossible for me to prepare such a written repo t as I could 

 have wished, and as the material in my hands would have justified me in 

 presenting. I will therefore only present the following brief linancial ataie- 

 ment, which covers the business transjvctions of the office for the year just 

 closing : 



FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THIv SECRETARY. 



Receipts from memberships and Directory fees $;S0G (X) 



Receipts for books sold <v") lo 



Total of receipts >=S71 ]■'■, 



Paid .T.C.Evans, Treasurer .i;270 00 



Paid expenses of office <'i''4 lo 



Total expenditures $!'G4 15 



Balance due Secretary I 93 00 



Respectfully submitted, 



W. H. Ra(;an, Secretary. 



