238 ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Our guests were pretty thoroughly interrogated on leading questions 

 by the members of the Society, and may form the opinion that the War- 

 saw folks are an inquisitive people. Our apology must be that we are so 

 seldom favored by visits from these dignitaries that when they do come 

 we must make the best of our opportunity. 



Mr. Galusha called attention to the American Pomological Society, 

 which meets at Boston the ensuing winter, and desired this Society to 

 furnish specimens of fruits, in connection with the State Society, for 

 exhibition there. Kansas and other States are threatening to carry off 

 the honors in furnishing fine fruits. It is somewhat as our President 

 remarks, that it is only because Illinois has been neglectful, that other 

 States have gained a step in advance. The executive committee 

 appointed G. B. Worthen, E. McCune, Dr. HoUowbush and Dr. Hay a 

 committee to make a collection of fruits to be sent to the Secretary of the 

 State Society for the Boston exhibition. 



Mr. Galusha was asked to state his views of the Signal Service. He 

 said he was favorably impressed with the prospect that the Signal Service 

 Bureau would be an aid to agriculture, as it now unquestionably is to 

 commerce. That the time was not distant when the nature and character 

 of storms would be known in advance, so as to provide against them. 

 Before taking his seat would say that he had noticed with pleasure the 

 efforts of our Society to keep up with the progress of horticultural 

 advancement ; that in the copies of papers sent him he had noticed our 

 operations for the past year, and that several essays and reports from our 

 Society possessed merits which entitled them to more general notice ; 

 and requested that the Secretary of this Society would furnish him reports 

 of its transactions for publication in the next volume of the reports of the 

 State Society. 



Orchards were reported prolific in blooming, since which time the 

 fruitage is sparse. Notes handed in by the President, now mislaid, 

 showed the " Wythe apple" among the latest in blooming ; a few scatter- 

 ing peach blooms were reported on elevated situations. Small fruits and 

 Richmond cherries doing well. The severe cold has left its mark on 

 peach trees, with here and there affected apple trees. 



The President invited the company to test the wines, cider and 

 apples on the tables. Mr. Hoppe's wine of 1870 is "a little risky," a 

 term used on a former occasion, and which threatened to involve the 

 Society in interminable controversy at a subsequent meeting. The Sec- 

 retary has ransacked the vocabulary of language to find some more fitting 

 expression, but is unable to please everybody in alluding to the excellent 

 products of our vineyards. 



The meeting was one of interest ; instructive and elevating in moral 

 sentiment, being divested of sectional or political subjects, and devoted 

 to investigations connected with vegetable life. 



Time flitted away till the declining sun warned an adjournment. 



On motion of Dr. HoUowbush, the thanks of the Society were ten- 

 dered to Mr. and Mrs. Hoppe, for their generous hospitality. 



On motion, the meeting adjourned. 



