TRANSACTIONS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILL. 329 



PROC E E D I N GS 



Horticultural Society of Northern Illinois. 



NINTH ANNUAL. MEETING, 



This Society held its ninth annual meeting at Crystal Lake, McHenry 

 county, in Growers' Hall, commencing January 25, 1876. 



President Lewis Ellsworth, of Naperville, called the meeting to 

 order at half-past i P. M. 



O. B. jGalusha acted as Secretary, by request of the Executive Com- 

 mittee. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 



Mr. Walklp, President of the Crystal Lake Crossings Horticultural 

 Society, welcomed the Society in the following words : 



Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Horticultural Society of Northern 

 Illinois : 



It becomes my duty, as it is also a pleasure, in behalf of the Crystal 

 Lake Hortifultural Society, and of the citizens oi this and the neighbor- 

 ing village, to bid you all a hearty welcome. 



Allow us, while thus welcoming you, to indulge in a little pride, such 

 as the little girl feels when she points to John as her big brother, exclaim- 

 ing, " He is a man, and I am his little sister." With pride we point to 

 you to-day as our big brother, and ask you to* recognize us as your little 

 sister. 



I welcome you as a band of self-sacrificing workers, whose labors 

 are a blessing to thousands. It is a fact well known to all close observers, 

 that the toil and study of the horticulturist is seldom liberally rewarded 

 in dollars and cents, but it does receive the richer reward of an experience 

 that "it is more blessed to give than to receive." 



I welcome you in behalf of the, two hundred thousand people among 

 whom you live and labor, and who are blessed, directly or indirectly, by 

 your efforts in the cause of horticulture. 



