STATE HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 17 



At the time u£ the Springfield meeting of the Executive Board 

 we had a confereuce with Gov. Oglesby relative to the proper time 

 for and best method of observing "Arbor Day.'" Asa result of this 

 conference the Governor, by proclamation, appointed the 13th of 

 April as Arbor Day. This Society followed the proclamation with 

 a circular which was distributed throughout the State, and sent to 

 every paper published within our borders^ calling attention to the 

 importance of the work, and naming lists of trees suitable for plant- 

 ing in parks, lawns, streets, county roads, school-house grounds and 

 cemeteries. 



Judging from the published reports of its observance and the 

 great number of private letters I have received relating to the mat- 

 ter, I am sure that the vvork of this Society caused the planting of 

 hundreds of thousands of trees in school and church yards and 

 cemeteries, as well as about the farm and village homes of our 

 people. 



This question of tree planting upon our public grounds and 

 highways and about our rural homes, as well as other methods of 

 ornamentation, is the legitimate work of this Society, and it is 

 doubtless our duty, with each returning spring, both by precept and 

 example, to do all in our power to make the day a success. 



As I said a year ago, so I say again, that we should do some 

 earnest work in the way of distributing our publications and extend- 

 ing our influence into those portions of the State that have no 

 knowledge of the objects and work of this Society; and possibly you 

 may think it an exaggeration when I say that more than half of the 

 counties of the State, and some that boast of tens of thousands of 

 dollars invested in orchards, are never represented at our meeting 

 and never see our "" Transactions " ; and you ma}^ be still more 

 astonished when I tell you that I have conversed and corresponded 

 with men who have thousands of dollars invested in fruit-growing 

 who scarcely know that there is such an institution in existence as 

 the State Horticultural Society. 



Something should be done to learn more of these fine fruit 

 regions and secure their cooperation and assistance. This work 

 properly belongs to the ad-interim commitk;es, but they are, of 

 course, composed of practical horticulturists, who can give but a 

 limited amount of time to the work. The only remedy 1 can suggest 

 is to make the committees larger and divide the work. 



When we can properly do this work an interest will be aroused 

 in the objects of the Society that will result in planting orchards and 

 small fruit plantations and gardens, as well as in encouraging every 

 description of ornamental work, thus adding greatly to the wealth 

 and beauty of the State, as well as the health and happiness of our 

 people. 



