86 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



nately I have not with me,) expressing regrets that he could not be with 

 us and wishing us a pleasant meeting. 



Whereupon Mr. Minkler's motion was amended, instructing the 

 Secretary to reply to our friend's letter in behalf of and presenting the 

 good wishes of the Society. 



Thus amended, the motion prevailed unanimously. 



The President handed the following letter to the Secretary, which 



was read : 



Clayton, Ind., Dec. 8, 1879. 



Prof. T. J. Burrill. — Mj' Dear Sir, — I avail myself of the opportunity of writing 

 you, in response to your cordial letter of the 1st. 



The bearer of this, my cousin, W. A. Ragan, and delegate from our Society, will 

 represent us in your convention at Normal. I hope he will present a cordial invitation, 

 on behalf of our Society, to such of your members as may feel able to attend our 

 meeting next week at Dublin. I can assure you, my good friend, that it would afford 

 me great pleasure to be with you this week. It has been my good fortune to attend at 

 least four of your meetings in times past, and I can assure you that I have not only 

 enjoyed them as seasons of great social enjoyment, but as great schools of learning for the 

 student in horticulture. Your annual reports are a treasure to any library — valuable 

 scientifically, practically, and as literary productions of merit, no other similar reports 

 equal them in value and interest. 



May your Society live long, and when Providence may have removed, one by one, 

 the present efficient workers, may their mantles be handed down to worthy successors, 

 who will keep alive the good work. 



Hoping to meet at least a liberal delegation of Illinois friends at our meeting next 

 week, I am with great respect. 



Yours truly, W. H. RAGAN, Secretary. 



The special order for the hour — the Reports upon Floriculture — was 

 then taken up, the President calling upon Mr. Bailer for his report. 



REPORT UPON FLORICULTURE— By F. A. Baller. 



Mr. President and Members of the Illinois State Horticultural Society: 



It affords me great pleasure to write a little article on Floriculture, 

 though the field is so broad and the subjects to be considered under this 

 head so numerous, that it would be a bewildering and endless task to 

 attempt to cover other than a small part of the ground. 



It is said that every man has his hobby, and I presume I have mine 

 in that Queen of Flowers — the Rose. But, before entering upon my 

 task, allow me to congratulate my fellow-workers on the increased interest 

 taken in Horticulture, and in the culture of Flowers in particular, as 

 shown by all classes, the rich and poor alike, and is, in my opinion, one 

 of the most encouraging signs of the times. But a few years since there 

 were not plants and flowers enough sold here in Bloomington to pay for 

 the fuel consumed in growing them, while at the present time $25,000 

 per year would be a low estimate to place on the sales. 



First on the list comes the old-fashioned kinds, commonly called 

 June, or Summer roses, these are the hardiest of all, the most fragrant, and 



