SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS. 183 



hundred and fifty dollars to the throe .■^u^^ iotics of the State — fifty 

 dollars each to the Northern, tlie Central, and the Southern. The ex- 

 penditure of these amounts was left to the discretion of the respective 

 societies. I trust this apjiropriatiou. small thoiigh it he. may receiA^e 

 your earnest consideration, ami that you take such* action in re»i:ard 

 to it as your wisdom shall dictate, so tliat it may he exiieuded in such 

 manner as to subserve the best interests of horticulture. The Board 

 took the usual course. ])erha])s. in the a|)])oiiitment of the ad-iuterim 

 committees. It was felt that these committees were of ]jaramount 

 importance, and a liberal appropriation was made to meet the neces- 

 sary expenses of the work. It is known to all the older members 

 that the work of these committees, whicli has^ sometimes at least, 

 been very great, has l)een wholly a labor of love. But I bring this 

 matter before you at this time, not so much to impress upon you the 

 fact that the Board desires a more vigorous prosecution of this 

 work, as I do to impress u]ion you another fact, and that is that your 

 incoming presick'ut and vice-president, by virtue of their oliice, are 

 members of the State Board, and will for the first time become what 

 T may call a committee of the Board for the Ncu'thern Division, with 

 the duty of seeing that this work is thoroughly and efficiently done. 

 And if from any cause the appointees fail to perform their duties, it 

 is made the duty of your president and vice-president to appoint 

 others in their ])lace, or do the work themselves. That we have indi- 

 viduals for this work with the al)ility to treat of the specific charac- 

 ter of soils, as well as their cultivation and general treatment, is to 

 be greatly desired. 



The Board also made an apjiropriation and fixed the premiums 

 for a show of fruit, etc., to be made at the next state meeting at 

 Chami)aign. which I respectfully refer to you for such consid(n-ation 

 as your wisdom shall suggest for cooperating in accomplishing the 

 object sought to be attained. 



Looking, as we always should, to the Ijest interests of our Soci- 

 ty, and the accomplishment of the greatest good by our gatherings 

 and puljlications, I would suggest whether greater usefulness may 

 not be subserved by making the two su1)jects. Farmers' Horticulture 

 and Vegetable (gardening, more prominent in our discussions. Their 

 paramount importance, su})plying as they do the every-day wants of 

 the family, and esjjecially in consideration of their immediate re- 

 turns, gives to them a pectiliar if not a ])ecuniary interest not attain- 

 able by other subjects of ecjual or even greater im})ortance. 



In closing this paper I desire to say that I have hastily given 

 you some of the thoughts that have come to me in the few liours T 

 nave devoted to it. If, as a Society, we have accomplished much 

 good in the past, shall we not do all in our power to make our future 

 equally beneficial? 



Many of those who commenced at the first hour are completing 

 their labors, and more energy and vigor. Avith younger blood, must 



