STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 81 



plants, tropical and serai-tropical, for the purpose of propagation or 

 cultivation. J'ruits, green, ripe, or dried, all duty free with us. 



The Province of Ontario extends down between lakes Huron, Onta- 

 rio and Erie to about latitude 42, which gives them a most genial 

 climate from which to furnish Minnesota with all the Russian apri- 

 cot trees she may need at the low figure of 75 cents each — low consid- 

 ering their great bearing qualities in this climate — as we have it from 

 a re-Iie-ahle Tree Dealer that some one produced 300 bushels of them 

 from a small orchard last year at Brainerd, Minn. There they can 

 furnish us with all the following popular plants in our State, viz: 

 Paw paw, egg plums, peach, pear, nectarine, Baldwin, Mann apple, 

 strawberry tree, blue rose, and blue blazes! all free of duty! Who 

 says it is not our duty to avail ourselves of the rare privilege to stock 

 up on Ironclads at low figures. Go in grangers, farmers' alliances, 

 and monopolists! 



We happened to have a friend at the nursery mens" convention in 

 Chicago last June, through which we glean the following items: 



Nurserymen here from all parts of the country, and nearly all disgus- 

 ted with the Minnesota tree law. Some twenty or more of them have 

 pledged themselves in the sum of $75 each (which amounts to $1,500 

 or more) to test the constitutionality of this law, aud to secure to all 

 the right of equal business privileges. Now, Mr President, I am no 

 lawyer, neither do I wish to assume the place of both judge and jury 

 in regard to this law. I am well aware that all you expected of me was 

 to open up the subject for discussion. This I have done as fairly as pos- 

 sible, showing the dissatisfaction on the one side and merely touching 

 the gross frauds on the other. That we have a legal right to assist the 

 tree planter to defend himself against foreign tree impositions no 

 sensible person for a moment doubts. On the other hand, if this law 

 allows and encourages every farmer in leaving his regular business 

 and becoming a Tree Dealer because they can club together and send 

 out of the State for what they want without giving bonds, while the 

 nurseryman near by has been waiting upon them, and experimenting 

 for their good and profit, till he is so poor that no one will sign his 

 bonds, " must take a back seat." . 



Gentlemen, I am inclined to think with Mr. Chas. Gibb, that 

 you may find it well to amend it in some way. It does look the least 

 bit oppressive to say to a nurseryman that is too poor — as Prest. De- 

 Bell says " because honest " — to procure the bonds, in case, for in- 

 stance the poor man thought he mnst have a dozen Jessie strawberry 

 plants from Wiconsin — to put him under $2,000 bonds " to keep the 

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