TKANSACnOKS OF fiALESBT'R(i HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 363 



DECEMBER MEETING. 



The Society met, pursuant to call of the President, Saturday evening, 

 the 20th inst., at the residence of Hon. T. J. Hale. 



The reading of the minutes having been postponed, the President 

 stated that no subject had been selected for discussion, and that the 

 evening in the main would be devoted to listening to Professor and Mrs. J. 

 V. N. Standish describe what they saw of interest to the Society in Europe. 



Mr. Hale thought the Society would be glad to hear a report from 

 Dr. Humphrey, of the recent meeting of the State Horticultural Society 

 attended by him. 



The Doctor responded. The State meeting this year had been a 

 grand success, being similar in its character and the degree of interest 

 taken to the meetings held eight years ago in Galesburg and seven years 

 ago in Jacksonville. The southern district of the State was not repre- 

 sented this year. Some of their former representatives, men eminent in 

 horticulture, were now dead, and as a consequence their Society was 

 practically broken up. Among those missing from the meeting this year 

 was Judge Brown, deceased, to whom the Doctor paid a high tribute for 

 his good qualities as a man, as well as for his services to horticulture. 



Among the good things accomplished the key-note had been struck 

 in Ornithology, and bid fair to answer the vexed question, how to deter- 

 mine the injurious character of birds. Prof. Forbes, of Normal, in a 

 paper on the subject, advocated a new method, and presented in tabulated 

 form, as the result of his observations, a list of the various kinds of birds 

 and the different kinds of food eaten by each, at different times of the 

 year, from which persons can judge of the injurious or useful character- 

 istics of birds. 



The reports of fruit crops throughout the State were variable. 



The next meeting is to be held at Warsaw, where it is proposed to 

 have a four days' session, that will possess many advantages over previous 

 meetings. Altogether the Doctor considered the meeting a very success- 

 ful one. 



President Lanphere then made the following remarks : 



Ladies and Gentlemen, — We come here to learn, and to impart information. Each 

 brings his store of knowledge, whether it be great or small, and adds it to the common 

 fund; and each draws from that fund that which he needs, or which may be useful to 

 him. We bring our experiences, in the cultivation of vegetables, and fruits, and flowers, 

 and ornamental and shade trees; and we may here learn the kinds to cultivate, the 

 proper time and manner of planting, the best mode of preparing the soil, the best mode 

 of cultivation and treatment, and each may profit by the experiences of all. 



Hut our attention is not confined to horticulture. Scientific subjects are dwelt upon, 

 to the satisfaction and enlightenment of our members and the reading public. It is a 

 time of great mental activity. Not simply facts, but the "why and wherefore," occupy 

 the thoughts of men and women everywhere. Everything is questioned, even our own 

 present existence; much more, our future existence. Authority goes for nothing. 

 Except among a few scientists and their followers, there never was a time when dog- 

 matic teaching had so little power as at present. We challenge evei7thing and every- 



