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ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



The best season for cutting fruit slips for propagation, or for grafting, 

 is in February or later. 



We had a great number of non-bearing orchards in our vicinity this 

 year ; no one would hazard an opinion as to the cause, as some orchards 

 were loaded with the finest fruit in the immediate vicinity of those that 

 were barren. 



The codling-moth and several others of our insect enemies still 

 visit us, and in some orchards in large numbers. 



Whereas, The next meeting closes our official year, and is the time fixed for the 

 election of officers for 1880; 



Resolved, That the officers and members of committees from whom reports are 

 expected be requested to come prepared with their reports, and that all friends of the 

 Society be earnestly requested to attend said meeting and renew memberships for 1880. 



Resolved, That the Illinois State Horticultural Society be cordially invited to hold 

 its annual session for 1880 at Warsaw. 



Resolved, That we will call up and consider at our next meeting the propriety of a 

 joint session being held by the horticultural societies of Illinois and Iowa. 



All of the above resolutions passed by a hearty, good, unanimous 

 vote. 



Mr. Grover kindly tendered the Society the use of his rooms for 

 future meetings. 



DECEMBER MEETING. 



The annual meeting of this Society was held at the office of Wm. 

 N. Grover, Esq., on the thirty-first day of December. The retiring 

 President gave his annual address. • 



ANNUAL ADDRESS. 



I find by examining the programme of business that I am expected to give to-day 

 a synopsis of our work for the past year, and shall therefore, without preliminary 

 remarks, proceed to the work assigned me. 



The January meeting was large and interesting, and the subject of the day, " Orchard 

 Pruning," was thoroughly discussed. An interesting report was also made by the Fruit 

 Committee, from which it appears that about 40,000 barrels of apples and 3,000 barrels 

 of cider were shipped from the bounds of this Society. 



February meeting was a very satisfactory one. Isaac Bliss, Esq., read an interesting 

 paper on Home Fertilizers, which led to a spirited discussion. 



March meeting like the former. Special subject : Orcharding, Past and Future. 

 Essayist, J. T. Johnson. 



April. The subject, Best Method of Pruning for our Locality, was introduced by 

 a practical, well written paper, by A. S. Gates, and drew out an interesting discussion. 



May. Special subject: The Garden. Essayist, H. D. Brown. Mr. B. handled his 

 subject well and showed conclusively that every farmer could and should have a garden, 

 and showed the profits in dollars and cents, as well as the convenience, health and 

 pleasure it affords. 



The June meeting was held at the City Hall in Hamilton, and was probably the 

 largest meeting ever held by the Society. The floral display was magnificent and 



