PROCEEDINGS. 125 



The Secretary cast the unanimous ballot for Mr. Russell for dlrer'tor 

 and Mr. Russell was declared duly elected. 



Chairman: The next thing is the report of conimiitxiPs. 



Secretary: There are a few other things that ought to conic n|) now. 

 Shall we bring up the report of the Committee on l^roniiuui List at 

 this time? 



Chairman: We are not ready for that yet. 



Secretary: I have here a petition which Mr. L. O. Williams has 

 asked me to present, which is as follows: 



City Hall, Lincoln, Neb., January 9, 1911. 



The Lancaster County Gardeners' and Fruit-Growers' Association, ai 

 [heir annual meeting held this day, do hereby petition the Mebiaska 

 State Horticultural Society: 



JBelieving that the best interests of horticulture throughout the state 

 of Nebraska will be greatly conserved and benefited by the organization 

 and growth of auxiliary societies throughout the various counties of the 

 state we do hereby commend for your consideration the annual appropria- 

 tion of a sum ranging from $50 to $100 to each county horticultural 

 society that shall maintain a regular organization. Said appropriations, 

 we believe, should be used by such auxiliary societies in the payment of 

 premiums at their annual winter displays of orchard and garden products; 

 also for the purchase of books, magazines, and other supplies necessary 

 to the welfare and encouragement of horticultural industries among its 

 members. 



Bv unanimous vote of the society. 



L. D. CLIFTON, President. 



L. O. WILLIAMS, Secretary. 



Mr. Williams: If it is proper to discuss this measuie now I would 

 like to say this: I believe it is for the best interests of the Horticultural 

 Society and its interest throughout the state to enlarge our borders by 

 doing missionary work and encourage local associations — county or dis- 

 trict societies. Those who are acquainted with the Horticultural Society 

 of Iowa know that such societies have had the support of that board 

 for years — for twenty-five years or more. The society that I was a 

 member of has had the support of- the State Horticultural Society. It 

 supports four local societies by an appropriation of $150 annually, and 

 this state has done nothing of that character so far. We have in our 

 state society a nucleus of old members who have been working together 

 in the same society in the same way all its life and if we could at least 

 branch out and encourage at least the organization of new societies in 

 parts of the state we would be doing a great wprk. Every effort to 

 enlarge our membership has i^rnetitally failed and we are not getting 

 in many new people, we are not branching out. Three-fourths of this 

 state is not represented in this society. Our membership is made up, 

 I woiild say at a rough guess, of not over one-fourth of the counties 

 m tlip state. 



