STATE HORTICL'tTURAL SOCIETY. 57 



The commission adjourned after unanimously thanking certain citi- 

 zens of Normal for their generous hospitality and the eminent scientists 

 present for their counsel, and Prof. Forbes and executive of the Normal 

 for use of rooms to meet in, and library and specimens for reference ; and, 

 personally, I would add that if my notes included in this report, prove 

 of any use to my brother fruit-growers, I will be well paid for jotting 

 them down in this busy season of the year. 



DISCUSSION. 



But little discussion followed these reports, for want of time. 



Mr. Cochrane (of Blue Island) asked if any one had experience 

 with the English Sparrow ? Is it not true, that the Sparrow is driving 

 away every other bird. 



Mr. Wier — I think that in introducing this bird, we have introduced 

 a nuisance. It is true, that the English Sparrow is driving away other 

 more valuable birds. 



Prof. Standish (of Galesburs) said, that their local society had it 

 in mind to introduce the English Sparrow. He believed with Mr. Wier, 

 that they were injurious, by driving away other birds. Still, in the East, 

 they were useful in destroying caterpillars, which otherwise became so 

 numerous as to entirely defoliate the trees — they were of some service. 

 But they disfigure the buildings, when they become plenty. They were 

 dirty things, and he was inclined to think that they were properly 

 denominated a nuisance. 



Prof. Forbes wished it understood that his paper was only a step 

 in the right direction. The work of investigation is going on, and the 

 paper simply reports progress. Not enough is yet known to pronounce 

 definite conclusions. It was proposed to follow up this line of investiga- 

 tion till some practical and useful results were reached. 



WEDNESDAY MORNING. 



President Hammond called the meeting to order at 9 o'clock. O. 

 L. Barler was called upon to open the exercises with prayer. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ORCHARD CULTURE. 

 S. G. Minkler read the following paper on orchard culture: 



Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Illinois Horticultural Society: 



Your Society asked me to prepare a paper on Orchard Culture. I 

 am no Professor of Orchard Culture, although I have had some experi- 

 ence in that line for the last thirty years. I have learned many things 

 in that time, and the more I learn the less I know. My remarks on this 

 subject will be brief. 



