STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 435 



gives a wide distribution to the transactions of the horticultural society 

 at no expense to that organization. 



The transactions of the Pennsylvania fruit growers' association are 

 published by the state in its volumes of agriculture. 



In Vermont a state board of agriculture was established in 1871 

 with an annual appropriation of $3,500. Among the duties prescribed 

 in the act of establishment, is that the board shall investigate horti- 

 cultural matters and make recommendations concerning the art. 



In Wisconsin a law was enacted for the encouragement of the 

 planting of timber belts, providing for a bounty of two dollars per 

 acre, upon the certificate of the assessor. Also an act for the regula- 

 tion of the sale of cranberries. 



The state horticultural society was incorporated in 1871. The 

 following year 2,000 copies of its reports were printed, $150 being 

 allowed for illustrations. In 1878 the number of volumes was in- 

 creased to 3,000, with an appropriation of $500 for the general purposes 

 of the society. 



In 1879 the society was reorganized, made a state institution and 

 the secretary required to report to the governor. The reports were 

 limited to 350 pages and to 3,500 copies. In 1883 the number of 

 volumes in separate binding was limited to 500, while 11,500 were 

 bound with other state reports to be distributed by the agricultural 

 society. In 1885 a volume of 500 pages was authorized with an appro- 

 priation to the society of $1,000 per annum for two years. 



Mr. Plumb, of Milton, Wisconsin, writes : 



The legislation in the interests of horticulture most needed in our 

 state is a law establishing experimental stations; and for horticulture 

 more than any other industry we have. Not one alone, but several 

 located in the five or more climatical and geological districts of our 

 state; these to be under the superintendence of the central station, 

 but in the care of good, thorough, intelligent men or women, and all 

 managed on a uniform plan. The advantage of such a system would 

 be, 1st, to settle many now unsettled problems in tree and fruit grow- 

 ing for the state at large and for each division of the state, and much 

 more satisfactoril}' than private enterprise can do it. 2nd, it would 

 not only give direction to private enterprise but would give assurance 

 and safety in it. No other state in the union has a greater variety of 

 natural conditions, and therefore none so needy in this direction. 

 Experimental stations should be in our state, adjuncts to an agricul- 

 tural college, — which in time our state will have, when our farmers 

 are educated up to their real needs in this line. 



