INTRODUCTORY. 21 



A. T. Hatch, Solano County ; Hon. Wm. Johnston, Sacramento 

 County; Matthew Cooke, Sacramento County. 



The committee met at San Jose, December 27, 1882. Sub- 

 sequent to this meeting two bills were prepared by one of the 

 committee — Wal. J. Tuska, Esq., attorney-at-law, San Fran- 

 cisco — one bill creating a Board of Horticultural Commission- 

 ers, and the other to prevent the spread of insect pests, etc. 

 These bills were presented to the Legislature as Senate Bills 

 Nos. 2 and 3, by Senator Cox, of Sacramento County, and 

 Assembly Bills Nos. 31 and 32, by Assemblyman Hollister, of 

 San Luis Obispo County. 



The bills were amended in the Senate. The work of amending 

 to suit the "\dews of Senators was done by Senator Whitney, of 

 Alameda. The bills as amended passed the Senate. In the 

 meantime the Assembly had passed the bill creating a Board 

 of Horticulture, and appropriating for its expense seven thou- 

 sand five hundred dollars ($7,500) per annum, the Senate bill 

 only allowing five thousand dollars ($5,000) per annum. The 

 Assembly then took action on Senate Bills Nos. 2 and 3, and 

 both were passed. The bill creating a Board of Horticulture — 

 Senate Bill No. 3 — as passed by both houses, was approved by 

 the Governor. Senate Bill No. 2, to prevent the spread of 

 insect pests, etc., after passing both houses, was mislaid or 

 stolen, so that it was not presented to the Governor for his 

 approval. In connection with the passage of the bills referred 

 to, I met with the greatest courtesy from the members of the 

 Assembly and Senate from the time the bills were introduced 

 until they were passed. 



On the twenty-seventh of March, 1883, I called upon Gov- 

 ernor Stoneman in relation to the appointment of a Board of 

 Horticultural Commissioners. He expressed a desire to 

 appoint only competent persons, irrespective of political con- 

 sideration. If this promise was fulfilled it is well. 



