STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 39 
am, I should have bought some. The man was avery smooth 
talker. 
Mr. Jordon. They have been at me, but I saw through the 
swindle and would not buy. Many cannot distinguish certain 
wild plants from tame ones. Some are unable to tell a wild goose 
plum twig from a peach twig, and hence are easily duped. These 
swindlers are way ahead of us western men. We are too slow in 
canvassing, and might perhaps diminish the evil by more activity 
in this respect. 
Mr. Brimhall. Cautions and resolutions willdo no good. The 
people want to be swindled. 
Mr. Probstfield. Swindlers have tried me, and it was hard for 
me to say no. Mr. Probstfield told the story about one that 
wanted to sell him a Lady Grape. The canvasser showed him a 
photograph of the vine climbing on the side of a house near the 
window, but the vine was too thick for Mr. Probstfield. And 
when the agent was reminded of the fact that a vine growing 
near a window, and so young, couldn’t be as thick as his two 
thumbs, he insisted upon that one being so good and strong. 
Mr. Pearce. These agents have taken $30,000 out of this 
State for the Emperor of Russia—said to be one of the best win- 
ter apples,—for the Beecher Sweet, Utah Plum, and some others. 
One man paid $60 for Utah Plum trees, which are nothing but a 
California shrub. But I am glad these agents did this work. 
They have educated our farmers. 
Mr. Probdstfield. This resolution will do no good. The people 
want to be swindled. I know men I can sell anything to, if I 
only talk. [could make them buy an elephant, though they had 
no use for it. 
Mr. Day. Believe these resolutions will dosome good. These 
persons wanted to sell me some plants, and had it not been for the 
resolutions and transactions of this society I would have bought 
some. These transactions do reach some farmers and put them 
on their guard. 
Mr. Fish. Think the best thing to be done is to publish the 
salient points of these discussions in our local papers. 
Winter Killing Again. 
Mr. Day. Would like to return to the former subject. My 
brother’s trees were in grass, and did not kill. Mine were not 
root-killed, but the bark split open. If the early freezing was the 
cause the potatoes ought to have frozen. 
