COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 397 



made. The Society also holds an annual business meeting, con- 

 sisting of papers, recitations, president's annual address, reports, 

 and election of officers. This meeting is usually held in February. 

 We were represented at the Central Society's meeting in Normal, 

 several members preparing papers for that occasion. We also 

 sent three delegates to the State meeting at Hamilton. 



The Society made an exhibit of fruits at the State Fair at Peoria, 

 as a county society, took the highest premium — and five others. 

 We believe we are the first county society to become incorporated, 

 as we shall have reached that before this is in type. We also think 

 we are the foremost county society in Illinois — so far as member- 

 ship and vim are concerned. We have passed strong resolutions 

 condemnatory of the unscrupulous class of tree agents, but have 

 no war to make on the honest men or women engaged in solicit- 

 ing for the sale of nursery stock, a calling which is honorable and 

 right. 



We also claim to be the only horticultural society — state or 

 county— that has its own official organ. All our proceedings, notices, 

 etc., are now made public through the medium of the Fruit 

 Grower and Horticulturist published monthly at Lacon, 111. By 

 this means we can communicate with the world, if need be, with- 

 out cost, as this magazine publishes our work free of charge. The 

 Central Society meets with us next May or June, at its annual 

 meeting. 



We are earnestly striving to further the interests of horticulture 

 in general, over the County of Marshall, and the people of our 

 county take a great interest in our welfare. Our membership is 

 composed of the best elements of the people of the county. We 

 are a healthy, prosperous Society, both financially and horticul- 

 turally; we pay all our bills promptly, and have good credit. We 

 intend to exist as long as possible, and do all the good we can. 

 We hold no secret meetings, and at almost every one of our regu- 

 lars there are one or more papers read on horticulture, floriculture, 

 gardening or forestry. None of our officers receive any salary, 

 except that the Secretary is paid fifty cents for each meeting he 

 officially attends. 



In conclusion : We promised last season to make a better show- 

 ing of our work for 1889, and we leave the reader to judge whether 

 or not the Marshall County Society has kept its word. We think 

 we have. 



P. S. By request of the Secretary, I sent manuscript enough for 

 a good showing in the Transactions, but am informed since, that the 

 Executive Board has refused to allow anything more than a few 

 pages from local societies a place there. I make this announce- 

 ment for the information of our people, and to show why so large 

 a society as ours is cut down to so scanty a representation in a 

 volume paid for by all the people of the State of Illinois. 



