2 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Following this address of welcome, President James E. Starr made 

 a brief business address as follows : 



Gentlemen : • 



The Seventeenth annual session of the Illinois State Horticultural 

 Society has now convened, pursuant to adjournment. You are about to 

 transact business in which, I trust, not only yourselves but the cause of 

 Horticulture will be benefited- 



Your attention is called to the following brief statements. I have 

 not attempted to accompany them with arguments, but think them of 

 sufficient importance to call for some action by this Society. 



Under date Dec. 20, 1 87 1 , a circular was issued by the Commissioner 

 of Agriculture, calling for Delegates from each Agricultural College, State 

 Agricultural Society, State Horticultural Society, and State Board of 

 Agriculture, to meet at Washington on the 13th of February, 1872, "for 

 the purpose of conferring upon subjects of mutual interest." 



The expenses of Delegates must be defrayed by themselves or by 

 the associations they represent. 



Deeming the call, (coming from so high a source), one entitled to 

 consideration, I endeavored to appoint such delegates as would fully 

 understand our position and wants, and at the same time meet the other 

 requirements. In this I failed. The meeting was held in accordance 

 with the announcement; an organization was effected and steps. taken, 

 in the future results of which this Society is interested. 



In May, 1872, two organizations, each claiming to be national in 

 character, met in the city of St. Louis. 



Their interests, aims, and o[)jects being common, they consolidated 

 and adopted a Constitution in which, after much opposition. State Hor- 

 ticultural Societies were distinctly recognized, and placed upon the same 

 footing as other State organizations, working for the same general object. 

 I regret to say that local organizations were not justly or fairly 

 recognized. 



After the re-organization of the two Societies I appointed Dr. E. S. 

 Hull (who was in attendance at my request) as a Delegate from this 

 Society. 



The Society adjourned to meet in Indianapolis in May next. 

 It is a fact well known to this Society, that no appropriation was 

 made by the last General Assembly for our use. With the cause of this 

 failure I have nothing to do. The General Assembly meeting again this 

 winter, it was thought best that we should be early in the field, and that 

 if we made any application for aid it should be through a well organized 

 and understood plan. I therefore authorized the Secretary to call a 

 meeting of Delegates from Horticultural Societies, and the friends of 

 Horticulture throughout the State, to assemble at Bloomington on the 

 14th of November, to take such steps as should be thought necessary to 

 secure the needed aid. 



The result of the meeting the Secretary will lay before you. I will 

 only say that the consultation was entirely harmonious. 



