400 ANNUAL REPORT 



milder grown. When our rich Northwest is thus mantled over 

 with a protective humidity, a new and more plentiful variety of 

 plants will thrive alongside the old "ironclads" on the farm 

 and garden and nursery, and 



" The world will be the better for it." 



TEEE PEDDLERS. 



Mr. Grimes, from the committee on the subject of tree ped- 

 dlers, j)reseuted the following report, which was signed by all the 

 members of the committee: 



Whereas, Is'umerous complaints have been made before 

 this Society during its present session that unprincipled tree 

 peddlers have from time to time, and especially during the past 

 year, represented that they were selling Minnesota nursery grown 

 trees and stock from nurseries located in this State, and 



Whereas, Such representations were entirely false in fact, 

 and upon proof it was found that said nursery stock was propa- 

 gated and grown in a distant state, far south and east of this, 

 and was wholly unreliable here, and that disappointment and 

 losses have been almost invariably the result from purchasing 

 such trees and plants and that the people of this State have been 

 and still continue to be swindled in open defiance of all honor 

 and fair dealing; 



Now, Therefore, We, the Minnesota State Horticultural 

 Society, petition your honorable body, the legislature of the 

 State of Minnesota, to enact such laws for the better protection 

 and well being of its citizens as shall compel all tree agents sell- 

 ing foreign grown trees and plants to take out a license in the 

 county or district in which they intend to sell, such license to 

 be granted only upon the sworn application of such agent stat- 

 ing the facts in the case, and especially by whom employed and 

 where the stock is grown. 



Second — Making it unlawful for any such agent to sell without 

 first procuring a license; and upon conviction of making such 

 sale without such license, before any justice of the peace having 

 competent jurisdiction, imposing a fine in any sum not to ex- 

 ceed one hundred dollars, or imprisonment in the discretion of 

 the court. 



Third — Making false representations in the sale of nursery 

 stock, in order to deceive the purchaser, and thereby induce him 

 to buy of them, ui)on such false representations, making it a mis- 

 demeanor punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both. 



Fourth — Also in making the principal accessory in all trans- 

 actions where agents are employed by him, and to be held re- 

 sponsible for his acts where fraud has been practiced and sales 

 effected thereby and wherein the purchaser has suffered loss. 



Fifth — Nurserymen who reside in the State and are doing 



