230 ANNUAL REPORT 



teres ted enough to send three delegates here, all the rights and 

 privileges of membership. In short, it was to encourage local 

 societies and try to build them up. It was my privilege to serve 

 with Mr. Underwood on that committee, (I don't recollect now the 

 name of the third one), and we proposed this amendment to the 

 constitution: "Local or county horticultural societies and kindred 

 organizations may become auxiliary to this society and their mem- 

 bers entitled to all the rights and privileges of membership by 

 sending three delegates," etc. We thought that a society that 

 wasn't interested enough to send three delegates here wasn't worthy 

 to act as auxiliary to this society, and so we reported it in that man- 

 ner. 



That was brought up and adopted, and why I speak of it in this 

 way is to give a clear understanding of this because I don't think 

 the members of our horticultural societies appreciate the advan- 

 tages which we give them, and I speak about it to call their atten- 

 tion to it. I was talking with a prominent man the other day and 

 inquired why his society wasn't represented here. He said unless 

 it gets aid from the State society it will go down. I explained to 

 him about sending delegates. He said he did not understand that. 

 Now, this is why I am calling particular attention to it. That was 

 the amendment and it is worded as plainly as English can be; it 

 gives to all societies that send three delegates and furnish a report 

 of their proceedings to our annual meeting the rights and privi- 

 leges of membership. • 



REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. 



Mr. Latham. There is no formal report prepared by the execu- 

 tive committee, but we have examined the treasurer's report and 

 his books and found them correct in every way; also the secre- 

 tary's financial report. 



The finances of the society are not in quite so good a condition 

 as we could wish. The close of the year found us in debt some- 

 thing like $128, and it took the first drawing of the half of this 

 year's appropriation to enable us to pay our obligations. It would 

 seem as though we shall have to have a little more appropriation 

 from the state or else cut down our expenses a little. 



The committee made two or three recommendations in the way 

 of suggestions that the society might act upon if they saw fit. One 

 was in the direction of asking the president to take steps to ascer- 



