Discussion. 131 



use the authority in their power, this might be stopped. 

 Then if the ladies would not wear them that might stop it; 

 but I think the men should put a stop to the killing. 



Mr. Harris — I am a great friend to the birds. The blue- 

 jay is not one I dislike. He is around all winter and he 

 hunts out where the cabbage worm is to hatch and destroys 

 it. There is a bird called the sapsucker that I am death on. 

 I have had several of them killed and have had their stom- 

 achs examined to see if they killed insects to any great ex- 

 tent. From the few I have examined I judge they live off 

 of pine trees. I believe they are not residents oE Minnesota. 

 They come early in the spring and then they retire to the 

 forests in the summer and in the fall appear again. They 

 will eat the apple tree the same as the pine tree. There is 

 another bird I do not like and that is the cherry bird. I 

 have no doubt he eats more or less insects, but he is death 

 on the cherries. 



Session adjourned. 



Meeting called to order at 9:30 Thursday morning. 



The first in the order of exercises was a report read by 

 the president relating to premiums by the New Orleans ex- 

 hibition. 



To the Members and Friends of the Wisconsin State Horti- 

 cultural Society: I have the pleasure after a very long de- 

 laj J and correspondence continuing for more than two years, 

 of making as far as I am personally concerned, a final re- 

 port in regard to the collection of premiums due from the 

 New Orleans exhibition and belonging to our society. The 

 delay was caused first by the financial condition of the 

 management. For a long time they claimed that they 

 would be able to pay in full, but needed more time to turn 

 their assets into ready cash. Second, there was a delay and 

 a long correspondence in regard to the premiums which 

 were awarded. I was informed that some of the creditors 

 were threatening to commence suits, and that the moment 

 a suit was commenced, the whole thing would be placed in 

 the hands of a receiver, which would in all probability end 



