34 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



efficient legislative committee, to present its claims and set forth its 

 needs, may fairly be deemed indispensable to prevent its being dwarfed and 

 crowded aside as a merely incidental matter. Nothing short of a distinct 

 commission, with sufficient means at their disposal, will be found adequate 

 to the occasion. 



It may doubtless be reasonably anticipated that the state board of 

 agriculture, including the Agricultural college and the experiment station, 

 will cooperate with the society in these matters. 



As one of its closing enactments, the last national congress elevated the 

 late commissionership of agriculture to the dignity of a secretaryship — 

 constituting its head one of the confidential advisers of the President. 

 During his administrations as commissioner, Mr. Coleman, among other 

 things, organized and launched a division of pomology, placing H. E. Van 

 Deman, formerly of Kansas, at its head. During the first year or two the 

 new division was hampered by the very limited appropriation provided for 

 the doing of its work; but the allowance for the present year, though by 

 no means adequate for the much there is to be done, is yet considerably 

 larger than that of the previous years, and thereupon the division, among 

 other things, has addressed itself to the effort to systematize and develop 

 the science as well as the practice of pomology. One of the most important 

 steps in this direction is felt to be the bringing of the division into more 

 intimate relationship with those engaged in fruit culture, in its various 

 branches, throughout the country. 



Soon after the increased appropriation had become a certainty, I was 

 tendered an appointment as special agent of the division of pomology, 

 charged with the duty of attempting to inaugurate an efPective system of 

 cooperation, more especially in the west and northwest, between the 

 division and the various horticultural organizations of the country , 

 including any and all such granges and agricultural societies as may 

 include horticulture or pomology in the sphere of their operations. 



Previously to the tender of such appointment, however, I had entered 

 into arrangements with the state board of agriculture to conduct a branch 

 of the state Hatch experiment station, under their charge, at South 

 Haven, the same to be devoted mainly to the testing of new fruits; my own 

 previously-planted ten acres of land, together with five acres adjacent, 

 contributed by the citizens of South Haven, being occupied for this 

 purpose. Owing to such previous engagement, I could only undertake to 

 devote a portion of my time to the work of the division; and, after 

 consultation with those representing the board of agriculture, with their 

 approval, I accepted the proposed special agency, undertaking to devote a 

 portion of my time to its duties. 



This agency presents an altogether new field of operations, and the full 

 development of the plan of operations must necessarily await the result of 

 conferences with the various organizations concerned. 



It is at present proposed that I visit various state and other pomologi- 

 cal and horticultural organizations; and, from conferences with them, 

 and a consequently more perfect acquaintance with their needs, as well as 

 their preferences, deduce and perfect a general plan of operations. 



This meeting affords occasion for the first step in the proposed process, 

 to be followed by visits to societies in Indiana, Illinois, and possibly 

 Kentucky, within the coming two weeks, and also others at later dates. 



The division, on its own part, jiroposes to distribute its bulletins and 

 other publications, either directly to the societies, or to persons whose 



