118 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



The support at present is very much from the mercantile classes ; and, 

 to my surprise, I see they are as willing and desirous to get crop reports 

 from the agricultural authorities, as we can be to give them to them. 



I claim no originality in this ; it is simply to carry out the views of 

 Commodore Maury, who presented them at St. Louis, at Memphis, and 

 in New England, and I think they were endorsed by this Society last year. 

 I was assisting him up to the time of his death, and it is pursuance of that 

 plan, and because it was refused all action on the part of the Agricultural 

 Bureau at Washington, that I have undertaken it in this way. 



I will say that although we have only issued six numbers, it is already 

 received as the most authoritative publication yet made, by the best mer- 

 cantile establishments in the country. You are interested in supporting 

 this system, not because it is a system, but because it is money in your 

 pockets. If you see fit to endorse it, I shall be glad. 



Mr. Galusha — I move that we heartily indorse the plan proposed by 

 Mr. Greene, and pledge ourselves to use all reasonable efforts in aiding the 

 consummation of the plan. 



I regard it as one of the best plans that has ever been devised to pre- 

 vent undue fluctuation in prices of agricultural and horticultural pro- 

 ducts ; the great drawback to profitable farming and fruit-growing is now 

 and has been the uncertainty — want of knowledge — of the amount of 

 rrops or stock, growing and on hand. Let these be known, then knowing 

 the average demand or annual consumption, all intelligent cultivators will 

 know, within a small margin, what their products are worth in the mar- 

 ket. If such statistics are collected from the most reliable sources, and 

 published, with statistics of amounts of average consumption, it will help 

 us every month in the year and put money in our pockets. I regard it as 

 a very important plan, and I think it deserves our cordial co-operation. 

 The more we think about it the more we shall appreciate it. 



Mr. Galusha' s motion was then put to vote, and adopted unani- 

 mously. 



Mr. Riley presented the following preambles and resolutions, mov- 

 ing their adoption : 



Whereas, Most just complaint is being made against the present head of the 

 I^epartment of AgricuUure at Washington ; and 



Whereas, There is evident need of expansion and reorganization of said Depart- 

 ment, to make it more subservient of the great national interest for which it was 

 established ; therefore, 



Resolved, That it is the unanimous opinion of the Illinois State Horticultural 

 Society that a change should be made, and that the present Commissioner of Agricul- 

 ture should be replaced by some more capable person, who understands the needs and 



