166 GENERAL HISTORY. 



time at the close of the volume of the society's transactions for the year 1885. 



At the close of the year 1885 the State Horticultural Society had, in work- 

 ing order, thirty-two local auxiliaries, widely distributed among the more 

 southerly counties of the Lower Peninsula. 



For the purpose of gathering many fragments of the horticultural history 

 of this State and putting the whole in permanent shape for preservation and 

 reference, the executive board proposed to T. T. Lyon to undertake the work 

 of preparing such a history, to appear in the transactions of the State Horti- 

 cultural Society. 



At a meeting of the executive board, held at Kalamazoo, on January 4th, 

 1886, action was taken looking to the organizing of a committee on landscape 

 gardening and architecture, and the securing of appropriate plans for rural 

 homes for the forthcoming volume of transactions of the society. 



Professor L. H. Bailey, Jr., was appointed chairman of a committee on 

 botany and vegetable physiology. 



At a meeting of the executive board held at Jackson, on February 8th, 1886, 

 the delegation to confer and arrange with the State Agricultural Society, re- 

 ported their offer to be $1,200 for expenses and $800 for premiums, which 

 offers were directed to be accepted, but with an understanding that it was 

 not to be considered as a precedent. 



T. T. Lyon having, some time since, offered the society his library of 

 horticultural works, the secretary was instructed to proceed to South Haven 

 to attend to the shipment of the same. 



Subsequently, owing to the engagement of Mr. Lyon to prepare a history 

 of horticulture in Michigan, the delivery of the library was postponed, to 

 allow him the use of it for that purpose. 



The executive board authorized and directed the preparation and exhibition 

 at the coming State fair, of an educational exhibit, and placed the collection 

 and "arrangement of the same in the hands of A. G. Gulley. 



The winter meeting of the State Horticultural Society for the year 1886 

 was held at Adrian, Lenawee couuty, on February 9tli to 11th, in acceptance 

 of an invitation from the Lenawee County (formerly Adrian) Horticultural 

 Society. 



The society came to order on the evening of the 9th, and was welcomed in 

 an appropriate and eloquent speech, which was responded to by the president. 



THE MANAGEMENT OF LOCAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES 



was considered in a carefully prepared paper by S. B. Mann, of Adrian, and 

 was followed by a discussion involving the question, how best to proceed to 

 interest the women and children in such meetings. 



METHODS OF BUYING AND SELLING TREES AND PLANTS 



next received attention in a paper read by B. W. Steere, of Adrian, replete 

 with useful lessons to buyers, to say nothing of its illustrations of the prac- 

 tice of certain classes of sellers. The paper closed by alluding to the over- 

 praise bestowed in some catalogues and other horticultural advertising, espe- 

 cially upon new varieties, asking, " Is not the praiseworthy desire to guard cus- 

 tomers against mistaking, and to supply them with the very best of everything 

 in danger of being supplanted by this talent for overwrought description?" 

 J. N. Stearns followed up this topic with a paper on 



