338 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
A report comes to us from Petaluma, Cal., that the leading women of 
that place, two years ago, in mass meeting assembled, resolved to teach 
the men a lesson. The parks of the city were barren weed patches, the 
streets in many places were deplorable, sprinkling was considered nonsense, 
so were shade trees, fountains, seats. It had been declared by the city 
fathers that money could be spent for more sensible things, but fifty wives, 
sisters and sweethearts took a different view of the matter, and for this. 
reason Petaluma’s parks, streets, drives, flowers and fountains are now 
among the most beautiful in the state of California. The women did it, and 
are still doing it. This club was organized because of the deplorable con- 
dition of the public squares, streets, etc. 
Anti-garbage parties are all the rage in the fourth ward of Chicago. 
Contractor Haurahan says he stands ready to enforce the law in every case, 
providing the women will stand by him. Mr. Haurahan sees in this move- 
ment the solution of the garbage question. ‘There is no use talking,” he 
says, “the laws on garbage questions will always remain a dead letter unless. 
the women themselves take up the question. No man is going to have a 
woman arrested for mixing ashes and potato peeling. If a woman wants. 
to throw an old mattress or feather bed into the alley, the men of Chicago. 
cannot hinder her. But let her think other women will look down on her 
for it, and it makes it a matter of pride for her,’ he chuckled. Three ladies. 
now form an active committee in the present movement. 
In our neighboring city, St. Paul, the women wield a potent besom, and 
the city officers recognize the services of the new agency. The women of 
this league have especially interested themselves in the extermination of 
noxious weeds. They have studied the city ordinance compelling the de- 
- struction of burdocks and Canada thistles. The committee has been much 
assisted by the earnest and eager co-operation of the city officials. The 
- mayor has given special orders to the police to extend every courtesy to 
members of the league. He also met with them and when asked to speak, 
said he had come because he had the honor of membership in the league. 
- He was proud to hear how much the ladies had accomplished. The league 
members were on the road, he thought, to achieve much, and he wanted to 
accompany them. 
A law enacted by the last legislature is of a particular interest just at 
this time to the street commissioner and road overseers. It provides for 
the cutting of weeds along the public highways and upon streets and al- 
leys of our villages and cities, and requires that this work must be done 
not earlier than July 15 nor later than September 1, of each year. The road 
~ overseers of the various districts of the several towns of the county and 
the street commissioners of the villages and cities are the parties named 
by law to see that its provisions are carried out. By this act the above 
named officials are authorized to reserve a portion of the road work to do 
the job, and they do not call out all the road work earlier in the season and 
thus neglect cutting when the proper time comes. The above named officers. 
now have the authority to order out those parties who have mowing ma- 
chines, scythes, etc., the same as they now: order them out with wagons, 
- shovels, plows or other tools used in road work. This law is one which 
’ should be carried out to the very letter, as it would in addition to removing 
' the unsightly forests of weeds along the highway, prevent them from ripen- 
ing and befouling adjoining fields with noxious weeds. 
