282 ANNUAL REPORT. 



On motion it was ordered that hereafter the President and Secretary 

 shall hold their offices and discharge their respective duties during the 

 entire session of the Society at which their successors shall be elected. 



Mr. Cutler offered the following resolution : 



Resolved. That each member of this Society be constituted a committee of one to notify the Secre- 

 tary of this Society of any operations of swindling tree agents, the Secretary to furnish the names of 

 such agents to be published in the principal papers of the State. 



President Smith. While the the resolution in its spirit is good, in 

 carrying it out there may be danger of getting this Society into a good 

 deal of trouble, and rendering the Secretary liable to be prosecuted for 

 libel. Some man may think he has been swindled when he has not, 

 and we may have some vexatious and expensive litigation on our 

 hands. I think we had better keep clear of it; do all.we can to in- 

 form the people, but not in such a way as will get ourselves into any 

 legal trouble. 



A Member, I think the best way is to let the farmers learn by ex- 

 perience. It may take some time and cost them something to learn, 

 but if they want trees, it is better for them to go to some responsible 

 nursery for them, and they will avoid being humbugged. 



Mr. Gould. The motion is, as I understand, that each member is to 

 send names of agents that they may regard as doing a swindling busi- 

 ness, to the Secretary, who shall publish the names in the leading 

 newspapers. This would certainly involve the Society in litigation; 

 libel suits are very common nowadays, and they are suits for big dama- 

 ges. I think we had better be a little cautious. 



On motion of Mr. Pearce the resolution was laid on the table. 



Mr. Cutler. I have one more resolution that I will offer: 



Resolved. That this Society hereby advises the people of the State to give the agents claiming to 

 represent the claims of nurseries of Albaugh & Co., a wide berth. 



Mr. Underwood. I don't see why this Society should want to pitch 

 into any nursery. I think we had better disseminate what knowledge 

 we have and let the nurserymen alone. I wouldn't care how much 

 you pitch into me, but I don't like to see my brother nurserymen 

 abused. I don't think it is the business of this Society to take up 

 cudgels of this kind. Col. Stevens will publish in the Fann,, Stock and 

 Home anything in the way of complaints that may be made, and so 

 will other agricultural papers, and you can blow our nursery or any 

 other nursery, of Ohio or New York all you want to. 



Mr. Sias. Mr. President, this is a subject that I never have spoken 

 on, but I believe it is a principle that ought to be acted upon that the 

 strong should help protect the weak, as far as they can, consistently. 



