328 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



It has been an arduous task to examine thoroughly so large a number 

 of men, and the secretary of the Board especially has had to devote 

 much of the time which really belonged to the insectary to this work. 

 Many benefits, however, have accrued through the re-examination. It 

 has necessitated a review which nearly every commissioner has agreed 

 was decidedly beneficial. It has in many cases given the growers and 

 supervisors increased confidence in their various commissioners. In 

 most counties it has given the supervisors a larger and better list of 

 eligibles from which to select a commissioner in case of a vacancy, or 

 from which the commissioner may select a deputy. And it has raised 

 the standard of inspectors, as in several counties many, and in some all, 

 of the inspectors took and successfully passed the examination for horti- 

 cultural commissioner. This will add to the efficiency of the horticul- 

 tural service in this State, that thing for which we are all striving. 



That the present law referring to the county horticultural commis- 

 sioners is not perfect we all realize. It seems unfortunate that there are 

 at this time in the State between forty and fifty men who are eligible for 

 the position of county horticultural commissioner in certain counties 

 where the office is already filled, and yet other counties needing a com- 

 missioner must select him from a list of "competent persons" w^ho have 

 never taken the examination, or who have taken it but failed to get the 

 passing grade. Other things being equal, a local man is probably pref- 

 erable to some one from another county, although even this is debat- 

 able. But with so many good men on the eligible list, many of whom 

 have already had years of experience as inspectors, it certainlj^ does not 

 seem right that some counties should have to be content with men who 

 did not or could not pass the examination. Some w^ay should be pro- 

 vided so that counties having no eligible list could select a commissioner 

 from the eligible lists of other counties. Horticultural science has 

 reached such a stage of development in this State that the clause refer- 

 ring to "competent persons" in section 2322 of the Political Code should 

 be stricken out. Also it seems hardly right, as the law exists at present, 

 that when only one man is successful in passing the examination the 

 board of supervisors should have no choice in the matter, but are com- 

 pelled to appoint him. He might, and of course would be, perfectly 

 acceptable to the State Board of Horticultural Examiners, but if not 

 acceptable to the board of supervisors, it is pretty certain that harmony 

 will not exist between the commissioner and the appointing hody, with 

 the result that the interests of the growers wdll suffer. If the super- 

 visors are to appoint the commissioner and to provide funds for carry- 

 ing on his work, in the interests of efficiency they should not be com- 

 pelled to take a man whom they do not want. The entire subject of 

 legislation affecting county work is being considered by a committee of 

 the Association of County Horticultural Commissioners which will 

 report at the Los Angeles Convention. 



On behalf of the Board of Examiners I desire to thank the various 

 county horticultural commissioners for the uniform courtesy with which 

 they have attended to the matter of posting notices and arranging for 

 the examinations. 



