STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 407 



for agents there would not be much stock sold. If it had not 

 been for tree agents there wouldn't have been enough trees in 

 the State to build a crow's nest. 



A Voice. There isn't now! 



Mr. Gould. I believe the only thing to do is to let the thing 

 regulate itself. I don't believe in protecting fraudulent opera- 

 tions — I don't believe in that ; I will set my business up beside 

 that of any man in this building or anywhere else ; people know 

 what I have been doing. I believe in the tree peddler just as 

 much as in the Methodist preacher. You pass a law that ties 

 this thing too closely and you destroy the business of nearly 

 every nursery. A man must grow everything he sells. He 

 •can't always do that, and it is not best that he should ; one man 

 can't do everything. When an agent comes around and the peo- 

 ple want to buy their stock they have a right to have it. 



Mr. Harris. I was raised in Ohio. Some forty years ago that 

 «tate was overrun with horse thieves. They didn't dare to own 

 a horse worth over forty dollars until they went to work and 

 drove out the horse thieves. After they did that they could 

 raise and keep as good horses in Ohio as in any other country. 

 I do not believe in building up monopolies at the expense of the 

 people, and this proposed measure is intended as a partial check 

 on the monopoly business. These deadbeats get together and 

 organize a corporation and send their agents broadcast over the 

 country, selling the most worthless and miserable stock that can 

 be produced. They have carried on these ojDerations so long and 

 so boldly, robbing farmers of their time and money, that farmers 

 are about discouraged in trying to grow fruit, and those who have 

 been trying to do a legitimate business as nurserymen have also 

 become very thoroughly discouraged. It is time that some action 

 should be taken in this matter. 



The report was then adopted. 



Mr. Cutler. I wish to call attention to the action taken yes- 

 terday by the Society, in i^assing a resolution in effect requiring 

 the secretary to omit the names of nursery firms from the re- 

 port of the discussions on this 'subject. (See page 280.) It 

 seems to me to strike out the name of L. L. May & Co. wherever 

 it occurs in our proceedings will require the striking out of the 

 whole proceedings in regard to this firm. I believe this resolu- 

 tion was adopted without being proj)erly understood. I did not 

 ■come down here to spend my time and work for nothing, and I 

 ■do not suppose the members desire the larger portion of our dis- 



