Annual Meeliny at St. Josepli. 149 



OUR HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES 



throughout the state are increasing in influence, and the state 

 society should in every way foster the growth of these in all our 

 counties. 



They accomplish much good and as they grow older the people 

 will take more interest in them and assist them in their grand work. 



When we see nearly every county well organized with a horti- 

 cultural society to lead them we shall have a wonderful change in 

 the work both of this society and of our local societies. 



Every society should send a list of its members and officers to 

 the state society and give a report of their society with the papers 

 read before them during the year. These should as far as possible 

 be printed in our state report and every member, of these local 

 societies should be taken as members of our state society. Every 

 one of these county societies should be entitled to the reports of 

 the state society ; thus making a bond of union between the two. 

 I believe more than ever that we should every year authorize 

 some one to help organize in all the counties that will take an 

 interest in county societies. He should also visit every county 

 society if possible once each year. 



A STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Our state society should take active measures to induce our 

 legislature to appropriate money enough to secure a good entomol- 

 gist for the state. 



It is of the utmost importance that we know our insect enemies 

 and our insect friends. The time has come when we will have to 

 fight our insects continually, if we would grow perfect fruit, and 

 it seems as if we were entitled to this officer by right. Let us ask 

 the legislature to give u.s our rights. 



OUR FRUIT CROP. 



In June we all expected a crop of good fruit. In October we 

 were all disappointed. What caused this, and the remedy, is a 

 puzzle. 



The insect destruction is so great that we will have to fight 

 them or lose our reward. I would call the attention of the society 

 to the filthy weed as one of the best cure-alls for our insect pests. 

 I believe, from what experiments I have seen, and what I have 

 heard, that it will be one of the best preventatives of the codling- 

 moth's destructive work. Sprayed over the trees when in bloom 

 and twice afterwards, I believe it will hold them in check. There, 

 is no danger in the use of it and the stems can be obtained very 



