HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 411 



DISTRIBUTION OF TREES, ETC. 



Last spring we distributed nearly one hundred and fifty pack- 

 ages of nursery stock, consisting of an assortment of Eussian 

 apples, willows and poplars and grape vines. In all amounting 

 to about 5,000 plants. These were distributed over a wide range 

 of territory in this state. So far as heard from the packages 

 have been favorably 'received and cared for. I anticipate that 

 much will be accomplished by thus sending broadcast over the 

 state so much material likely to be of value. 



These packages were only sent to reliable parties who it is be- 

 lieved will care for them properly and will report the results to 

 the station. The reports from these packages must form reliable 

 data, when considered as a whole, on which to base conclusive 

 reports. 



I hope ere long to have the station nursery in such a condition 

 that without going into a nursery business of sufficient dimen- 

 sions to interfere with the business of the regular nurserymen of 

 the state, we may be able to offer for sale, in limited quantities, 

 novelties in the line of trees and fruits of special merit at low 

 prices. We have now on hand quite a collection of grape vines, 

 Eussian willows and poplars and apples propagated this season 

 which will be distributed the coming spring. 



TESTING OF SEED AND PLANT NOVELTIES. 



I consider that an important work may be done and that the 

 horticultural department may serve as a salutary check in try- 

 ing any novelties in the line of seeds and plants and also in test- 

 ing the germinating power of seeds. 



"When a seedsman or nurseryman offers in his catalogue seeds 

 or plants which he says possess all the merits possible for given 

 seeds or plants to have and then asks a high and often excessive 

 price for them, he should be made to feel, if he does not, that his 

 reputation is at stake and that he has taken money and must 

 give a fair value for it, or he has deliberately swindled his cus- 

 tomer. There is a growing feeling in the agricultural commu- 

 nity that the state should exercise some control in the matter and 

 that the importance of the subject demands as much an inspector 

 as does the fertilizer business in the older states, or the dairy 

 business in our own state. A check of this sort, if exercised cir- 

 cumspectly, would be advocated by all honest, reliable seedsmen 



