STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 239 



considerable discussion of an interesting nature, wliich was con- 

 tinued at the evening session. 



On Thursday, the third day, of&cers were elected, consider- 

 able business transacted, aVards of premiums made, etc. Fol- 

 lowing is the list of officers for ensuing term of two years: 

 President, Parker Earle, Cobden, 111.; first vice president, E. 

 M. Hudson, ^ew Orleans, La. ; secretary, W. H. Eagau, Green- 

 castle, Ind. ; treasurer, J. C. Evans, Harlem, Mo.; with one 

 vice president from the other states of the ITniou, for Minnesota 

 J. S. Harris, La Crescent, being named. The committee on nom- 

 inations recommended the holding of the next meeting in Cali- 

 fornia in February, 1888. 



Mr. Van Deman, of Kansas, read an interesting paper on 

 "Pomology as a Division of the Department of Agriculture." 

 He stated that an act had been passed by Congress establishing 

 a division of pomology and appropriating the sum of 83,000 for 

 the purjjose of carrying on the work, in addition to salary. He 

 urged the importance of exf)erimeutal stations, the gathering 

 of statistics, investigations as to the value of new fruits, and the 

 issue of reports and bulletins from time to time containing infor- 

 mation of special interest. 



Mr. H. Myrick, of Massachusetts, read a vigorous paper on 

 "The Press and Horticulture." The press had done much to 

 encourage fruit growing, but had done little towards telling how 

 to sell fruit. Fruit growers want the press to aid them in sell- 

 ing and to discover new markets. Fruit reports should be bet- 

 ter looked after. Horticulturists should write for the press. 



Prof. Lazeuby, of the Ohio State University, gave an address 

 upon comparative growth of trees, illustrating his remarks with 

 specimens of wood from the experimental station. For fence posts 

 the locust was superior to thecatalpa; for profit the ash is one of 

 the most promising and thrifty of trees. Timber culture would 

 pay as an industry, and should be urged for profit rather than 

 economic reasons. 



Your Secretary was then called upon to read a paper, pre- 

 pared by Mr. J. S. Harris of Minnesota, on "Fruit Growing in 

 the Northwest." The paper gave an outline of the history of 

 fruit growing in this section of the country, referring to the 

 failures experienced in the past, the success achieved thus far 

 and the prospects for the future. It elicited considerable dis- 

 cussion, and we hope to present the paper elsewhere in full in 

 this volume. 



