LAWS PERTAINING TO HORTICULTURE. 187 



college, swamp lands in four townships near the college farm were donated 

 by the State, the proceeds of which were to be used in the maintenance of 

 the school. 



Previous to 1871 there was no general law under which fruit growers could 

 organize. But the legis^lature of this year passed the following bill, and the 

 Michigan State pomological (now horticultural) society was the first to organ- 

 ize under it. 



LAW CONCERNING HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 



Section 1. Any five or more persons, and their successors, that may hereafter asso- 

 ciate together for the purpose of promoting the interests of pomology, horticulture, 

 agriculture, and kindred sciences and arts, may become a body corporate by complying 

 with the requirements of this act. 



Sec 2. The persons intending to become a body corporate for the above named pur- 

 pose, shall publish a notice of their intention to meet for organization three successive 

 weeks in the newspaper published next nearest to the place where such meeting is to be 

 held ; said notice to state the object of the meeting, and when and where it will be 

 held, and to be signed by at least three of the persons interested in establishing such 

 organization ; said meeting to be open to the public. 



Sec. 3. The articles of association adopted at the meeting provided for in the preced- 

 ing section, shall specify : First, The names, officers, and objects of association ; Sec- 

 ond, The limit of property ; Third, The limit of subscription of members ; Fourth, The 

 town, city, village, county, district, or extent of the territory in which the operations of 

 the society may be carried on, or to which they are limited. 



Sec 4. The articles of association, duly acknowledged by each stockholder, together 

 with a certificate signed by the secretary, stating the amount of subscriirtion paid in, 

 must be registered in the office where the association is located, in a book kept for that 

 purpose, and a copy of the same must be forwarded to the Secretary of State. 



Sec 5. On complying with the requirements of this act as above specified, the asso- 

 ciation so organized shall be a body corporate, and shall be capable of buying and sell- 

 ing real estate in the same manner as the agricultural societies ; of suing and being 

 sued in any court of this State ; may have a common seal, and may alter or amend the 

 same at pleasure ; and be subject to the laws of the State applicable to agi-icultural 

 societies ; may make such by-laws and regulations, not inconsistent with its articles or 

 with this act, as may be found desirable to promote the efficiency of the organization:. 

 Provided, That the by-laws shall not exclude any citizen of Michigan from membership 

 of the association, attending the exhibitions, or participating in its discussions, who 

 shall subscribe and pay to the funds of the society such sum or sums annually, as the 

 by-laws of the association shall prescribe. 



Sec G. Should a State association for the promotion of pomology, horticulture, 

 agriculture and kindred sciences and arts, be organized under this act, it shall be the 

 duty of the secretary of said State society to make and transmit to the Secretary of 

 State, a report of the transactions of said society, including copies of papers read at its 

 meetings, reports of exhibitions held, and of facts collected by correspondence or other- 

 wise, at the end of the month of December of each year ; said report of transactions to 

 be printed in similar form and number of copies as the reports and transactions of the 

 State Board of Agriculture and State Agricultural Society, under the du-ection of the 

 Secretary of State. 



Sec 7. District or county, town, city, or village associations organized under this- 



