98 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



valuable time were spent in election of officers. If a society has a good 

 lot, why strive to throw them out, thereby consuming time needed for 

 better work, and engendering ill-will? So good a meeting as that was 

 should have been given two or three columns of report per day in the 

 press, and would have had that much in any city of this state, but the 

 Springfield papers gave very little attention to it. But there was admir- 

 able arrangement of the secretary's work. Our society is too poor to do 

 as well. But the Illinois secretary had an assistant and a stenographer, 

 the assistant taking down such things as names, horticultural terms, salient 

 points, etc., about which the stenographer might make mistakes, leaving 

 the secretary free for the larger work of his office. The president was 

 prompt and guided the meeting admirably. There was great vivacity of 

 discussion and constancy of attendance — the people were there all the 

 time and not passing in and out. I must remark also upon the high char- 

 acter of the papers presented. I have seldom known them to be excelled 

 as a whole. And never was I treated better. They entertained me as 

 though I were a king or a high-priest. It was all very enjoyable, and I am 

 exceedingly glad I went; nor do I see how we can afford not to send a 

 delegate each year. 



Mr. O. W. Baknard of Manteno, the delegate from the Illinois society 

 to this meeting, expressed his pleasure at being in attendance, but said we 

 must not expect him to teach us much horticulture. The ladies sometimes 

 turn out to the Illinois meetings better than they did when Mr. Garfield 

 was there. " I am glad of his criticisms. They are just and will do us 

 good; and pleased also with his praise, for his good opinion is of great 

 value. But while the discussions at Springfield were good, the best of 

 them was the part furnished by Mr. Garfield. He will not say it, but 

 such is the fact. I am enjoying this meeting highly, and am astonished 

 at the local attendance — the floor full and the gallery full also. I hope to 

 see more of your meetings and to have the pleasure of greeting your 

 delegates at ours." 



Thursday Morning Session. 



Beginning the session of Thursday morning, December 28, with the 

 same large attendance which characterized the meeting throughout. Presi- 

 dent Lyon called Mr. Monroe to the chair and made appointment of these 

 committees: 



