90 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



Id accordance with the sentiment expressed at our last an- 

 nual meeting, the report of the society for 1886, was com- 

 pleted and printed, ready for distribution last May. Under 

 the law of 1885, twenty-five hundred copies are bound sep- 

 arately in cloth and one thousand in paper, making thirty- 

 five hundred volumes subject to the order of the society. 

 Thirteen thousand five hundred of our reports are bound in 

 a combination volume, containing the report of the State 

 Agricultural Society, the report of the Dairyman's Associa- 

 tion and the report of the State Experimental Station. 

 This combined report is distributed in the main by the Agri- 

 cultural Society. It would seem to be a proper thing to do 

 to give the Horticultural Society control of its own reports. 

 Ten thousand copies could be used to good advantage. The 

 present method of distribution provides a copy to each 

 member of our society, fifty copies to each local society, ex- 

 changes ranging from ten to twenty-five volumes each, 

 with Horticultural Societies of other states and a general 

 distribution at farmers' institutes. The institutes furnish a 

 most efficient means for the circulation of horticultural 

 literature among the masses of the people. The demand at 

 these meetings is very much greater than the supply. 



With little or no additional expense to the state, this so- 

 ciety could have what it needed of its own reports by with- 

 drawing them from the omnibus volume now circulated by 

 the State Agricultural Society. The report proper of that 

 society, needs no outside additions to make it valuable. 

 Their report, like our own, can, and should stand upon its 

 merits. I call your attention to this matter that you may 

 take such action with reference to legislation upon the sub- 

 ject as your judgment may dictate. 



membership. 



The value of the work done by this society is dependent 

 upon the character and extent of its membership. 



