428 BOAED OF AGRICULTUKE. 



horticulture need more information than they have. This would inspire 

 the women, and therefore inspire the men, and you would find in an- 

 other year if you should start this, as has been suggested, that you would 

 have to move more chairs in instead of moving some out, in order to make 

 things look right. We would have a large meeting, because Indiana is a 

 horticultural State, as all Indianians know. All we need is more en- 

 thusiasm. 



Chairman Swaim: If there is nothing further I shall refer this mat- 

 ter to the committee, and if there is any further action to be taken it can 

 be taken when the report of the committee is heard. This committee 

 shall consist of J. M. Zion, H. M. Stout and L. B. Custer. 



Pi'esident Stevens, I turn the chair over to you. 



Mr. Swaim: If you will allow me just one moment I would like to 

 say a few words. This is our forty-fourth meeting. My recollection does 

 not go back forty-four years, but as far as it does go back the meetings 

 have been called to order by the chairman pounding on the desk with 

 his fist or with his pen knife. I do not thiulc it is exactly right for us to 

 permit our Chairman to endanger his fists in this manner or ruin his 

 knife or the desk by pounding on the desk with it for order, and so I 

 have provided here an instrument which is commonly called a gavel. 

 This gavel is made in the shape of an apple barrel. It is made out of an 

 apple tree, the wood being taken from one of the old pioneer apple trees 

 of St. Joseph County. I wish to present this to the Society for the use 

 of the Chairman. The tree from which this wood was taken was said 

 to have borne when living twenty different varieties of apples, and so it 

 might have been called a family tree. 



President Stevens, I place this in your care, hoping that it may never 

 fall in less worthy hands. (Applause.) 



President Stevens: I will say on behalf of the Society that wo are 

 Ijleased to liavo this gift from one of our members, and we will treasure 

 it up in the archives of this Society for future time. I know 'that it is an 

 instrument which we have needed for a long fimo, and I know we are all 

 glad to get it. 



Sylvester Jolinsun: Mr. I'residcnt, 1 move you that a vote of tliaiiks 

 be e.xtended to Mr. Swaim for his valuable gifl to this Society. 



-Mr. E. Y. Teas: I second the motion. 



(The motion was voted upon and unnniinnusly carried. 1 



President Stevens: Tlie noxt number on the jirogram is the Secre- 

 tary's report. 



