258 ANNUAL REPORT. 



transact necessary business. We have sought in every way to 

 curtail expenses rather than to increase them. Therefore I hope 

 the motion will not be adopted. 



Mr. Dartt. I think if we had the directory plan there would 

 be no necessity for a meeting of the executive board during the 

 year. If they have to meet it may be well for them to have it 

 at or near the capital; but it don't suit the mass of the people so 

 well as it does to let them have a finger in the pie. I believe 

 with this other plan you would go before the legislature with a 

 great deal fairer prospect of success than under the present system. 



The motion of Mr. Dartt was lost. 



Mr. Harris said he had always been in favor of a State board 

 of horticulture. 



Mr. Dartt. lam not at all surprised. Men have to allow their 

 moral courage to work up awhile, so they can work in the in- 

 terest of the whole and throw their own interests aside a little; 

 I expect by another year you men of Minneapolis and St Paul 

 will perhaps get ready to do the outside world justice. If you 

 are I shall be happy. (Laughter. ) 



Pending the adoption of article eight of the constitution some 

 discussion arose. 



Mr. Dartt. In our "Iowa plan" the secretary must hold his 

 ofiSce until he shall be able to make his report; I think that is 

 the proper plan. 



Mr. Underwood. That was as proposed last winter. It is in 

 article five, where it was provided that he shall compile the an- 

 nual report of the society. But we looked that over and thought 

 we saw objections to that. 



Mr. Dartt. I would give him sixty days to get out his report. 



Mr. Smith. I think he should go in for the year. 



Mr. Dartt. I do not think we ought to give him any chance 

 at all to get extra pay. 



Mr. Underwood. Take it this year; Secretary Gibbs is down 

 at New Orleans. Suppose we were working under this proposed 

 by-law here, and we had to depend on him to get out the annual 

 report; we could not do it. We must depend on Mr. Hillman, 

 our newly elected secretary, to get out that report. This really 

 cuts very little figure any way. He could just as well finish it 

 up as Mr. Gibbs, probably. Mr. Elliot, Mr. Sias and myself 

 have given the matter a good deal of thought. 



Mr. Harris. I can see no objection to Mr. Dartt' s proposition. 

 Why not let him receive the books the first of April, and the 



