STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 79 



cultivating land with a desire to keep it in the best condition, in the 

 summer, when he wishes to suspend cultivation, to seed that ground 

 thickly with oats, so as to prevent severe washing in autumn, winter 

 and spring. 



Mr. Flagg — "Grafting" is the next subject. 



Mr. Foster — I was informed by some one that there was a standing 

 committee to confer with the Horticultural Department of the 

 Experimental Farm, and if there be no such committee, I recommend 

 the appointment of one. 



Mr. Wier — I would state that the Horticultural officers of the 

 State University have generally conferred with us. 



Mr. Galusha — That is an important matter, and we have long been 

 looking to the establishment of this institution as a nucleus round 

 which should gather all the horticulturists of this State, and as the 

 center from which should radiate horticultural effort. It would seem 

 that at this time this suggestion is very important. I think it is 

 very important that they should know and recognize this State Hor- 

 ticultural Society, and hold it as the center from which emanates 

 light on this subject, and that to be successful there, they must get 

 light from this body. I move that a committee of three be 

 appointed, as recommended by Mr. Foster. 



The question being on Mr. Clalusha's motion, it was carried. 



CANADA THISTLE. 



Dr. Hull — I wish some gentleman would inform us whether it is 

 possible to grow that thistle in the southern part of the State of 

 Illinois. 



Mr. Galusha — My experience of this thistle has not been painful, 

 but I have been obliged to watch constantly. Since my first impor- 

 tations from the East there has not been a year, for the last fifteen 

 years, that I have not imported Canada thistles, and very many times 

 the seed, and we need to use the utmost diligence in every box from 

 the East, to examine the roots and to see that no fibre can adhere, 

 and then burn everything in the way of packing, that the box con- 



