STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCltTV. g5 



The President — You will now listen to the report wf the Com- 

 mittee on the Secretary's Report, through its chairman, Dr. Humphrey. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



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Your Committee beg leave to report that we fully endorse the Sec- 

 retary's report, and recommend its approval by the Society. 



We believe that the reorganization of this Society, therein recom- 

 mended, will secure the best interests of this Society, a just recognition 

 of local horticultural societies, and, in securing the co-operation of the 

 State Government, will result' in promoting the best interests of the 

 State. (Signed) 



A. G. Humphrey. ) 



A. A. HiLLiARD. V Committee, 



L. G. Wilcox. ) 



Mr. Flagg, from the Committee, reported upon ornamental and 

 timber trees. 



REPORT UPON ORNAMENTAL AND TIMBER TREES FOR SOUTHERN 



ILLINOIS. 



The State of Illinois, according to the estimate made in the Auditor's 

 office, contains fifty-tive thousand, eight hundred seventy-two square . 

 miles, or thirty-five million, seven hundred fifty-eight thousand, eighty 

 acres. According to the census of eighteen hundred seventy, about 

 five-sevenths of this amount, or twenty-five million, eight hundred 

 eighty-two thousand, eight hundred sixty-one acres are in farms; 

 nineteen million, three hundred twenty-nine thousand, nine hun- 

 dred fifty-two acres being improved; five million, sixty-one thou- 

 sand, five hundred seventy-eight acres woodland ; and one million 

 four hundred ninety-one thousand, three hundred thirty-one 

 acres, " other unimproved "; leaving nine million, eight hundred 

 seventy-five thousand, nine hundred nineteen acres to be otherwise 

 accounted for. Assuming the acres of woodland returned with farms 

 to be all the woodland of the State, we find that about one acre in 

 seven, or fourteen and one-tenth per cent, of our Prairie State is covered 

 with trees. Iowa with the same area has only half as much or about 

 seven per cent, of her area in forests. Wisconsin has ten percent; 

 Missouri twenty-one per cent ; and Indiana thirty-two per cent. From 

 this we may argue that our portion of the great Northwest, is not so 

 much wanting in forests and future limber as is sometimes asserted. 



Coming to our own State I have had the curiosity to ascertain the 

 distribution of forests within its borders, following our Society's division 

 into Horticultural Districts. 



The Fox River District in the northeastern corner of the State with 

 its twelve counties comprising seven thousand, three hundred fifty- 

 four square miles, or four million, seven hundred six thousand, five 



hundred sixty acres, has two hundred ninety-seven [thousand 



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