126 Ainn-ican Horticnltunil Society. 



societies, hut tlial tlicre also be a standing conference committee between them, to 

 which matters of the character referred to shall be submi'.ted, and by them rei)orted 

 to the society in whose transactions their matured conclusions are to appear. 



The carryinp out of Mr. Mnnson's third snppcslion is a work which the So- 

 ciety, in its title, has clearly assumed ; while this field calls for eflective labor 

 quite as forcil)ly as does that of jmrnology. This fielil, moreover, is, as yet, almost 

 wholly unoccupied so far as reform in nomenclature is concerned ; and yet, even 

 here, there woulil doubtless be found, as in the case of pomology, occasion for con- 

 cert of action Itetween this Society and the associations of the llorists, the nursery- 

 men and those interested in forestry. 



It is, however, especially to the broader, and hence more important, sugges- 

 tions contained in the remaining clauses of Mr. Mnnson's portion of this report, 

 taken in connection with the points menti()ne<i by Mr. IJr.ickett, that I desire to 

 invite the thoughtful consideration of the Society. 



For the first time since the organization of a national Department of Agri- 

 culture, it has at its head a i)ersoii possessing an adequate conception of the needs, 

 the present importance and the possibilities of American horticulture. This is 

 clearly evinced by the steps already taken by the department to assist in develop- 

 ing the various interests associated under this head, notwithstanding the limited 

 apjiropriations available for such purpose. 



It seems difficult to conceive a more effective mode of extending public aid to 

 individual enterprise of the character indicated than by the process shadowed 

 f )rth in Mr. Mnnson's fourth proposition : that all societies, whether national or 

 1 )cal, cither directly or indirectly', place themselves in correspondence with the 

 appropriate branch of the department, rei)orting to it the origin, names and de- 

 scriptions of all new fruits, together with such other valuable information as may 

 come within their knowledge; such varieties to be examined, and, if found worthy, 

 to be described and iluly entereii upon the department lists and the same published, 

 with date and place of origin, the locations in which it has proved successful, and 

 the purposes to which it is adapted. \ publication of this character for each of 

 the |»riucipal departments of horticulture, including the valuable varieties already 

 known and in cultivation, with accompanying .synonyms, and supplemented an- 

 nually by lists of the meritorious novelties of the ]iast year, approved by the socie- 

 ties anil by the department, and resolutely excluding unworthy varieties, would, 

 doubtless, soon come to be generally recognized as authority as to the value of 

 varieties, iind hence become the means of su|>prcssing the mass of trash which, in 

 the hands of unscrupulous persons, has so long, so heavily, and to so little purpose, 

 taxed tlie ignorant and the unwary. 



Such a (dieck upon the introilni-tioii of worlblcss iinvfliies has been long needed, 

 especially in i)oniology, since the mulliplitatioM of varieties has long b?en such that 

 even the |)ublishing of shor: and hence imperfen descriptions, as a means of iden- 

 tification and detection of re introdnctionw under new names, is already quite be- 

 yond the cajiacity of individual pnteri)rise, and, in ronspquence, -tandard worksof 

 this character are already, in too many cases, comparatively stale an 1 useless, 

 while the nee<l of such has heioiiie increasingly great. 



All of which is rcspec tfully sul>mitted, 'P. V. l.vox. diairman. 



