n6 An7ials of Horticulture. 



cation regarding the matter was a communication by him of 

 crude ideas, which were pubhshed in Garden and Forest, issue 

 of January 23, 1889. A paper was then prepared and read be- 

 fore the Cahfornia State Floral Society, March 8, 1889. This 

 was published in the California Florist and Gardener, in an issue 

 of the succeeding month. * All of this time the ideas were 

 being turned over, improved and commented upon. In Jan- 

 uary, 1890, the California State Horticultural Society and the 

 California State Floral Society each elected a committee of 

 three, the two committees to form a joint committee to formulate 

 practical plans for the establishing of a national plant reg- 

 ister. The committee was given full power to act and add to its 

 numbers. A preliminary meeting was held February 17th, but 

 the first regular meeting for organization was held April 17th, 

 1890. The attendance at this meeting was large and enthusi- 

 astic, and the following officers were elected : President, A. 

 T. Perkins; Vice-President, Charles H. Shinn ; Secretary, 

 Emory E. Smith ; Treasurer, Leonard Coates. Executive 

 Committee — A. L. Bancroft, Chairman ; Emory E. Smith, Sec- 

 retary; G. P. Rixford, Charles H. Shinn and Fred C. Miles. 

 Since then several meetings have been held by the joint and 

 executive committees. The joint committee now has about 

 fifty members, including many of the leading men of California. 

 The report of the special committee was isued in circular form, 

 May I St, and published in California Fruit Groiver. The plans 

 for working have been submitted to and commented upon by 

 many of the best thinkers throughout the country, the result 

 of whose labors will be found in the accompanying circular, 

 which is preliminary to the completing of the bill for presen- 

 tation to Congress." 



The first. full expression of Mr. Bancroft's plan was ''read 

 at the request of the California State Board of Horticulture 

 before the California State Fruit Growers' Convention at Los 

 Angeles, March 13, 1890. ' ' This paper was widely distributed 

 by the joint committee on registration, f but the committee 

 subsequently drew up a somewhat modified statement, which 

 it distributed during the summer, and which is as follows : J 



"The present situation. — At the present time great confu- 



*Cal. Florist and Gard. March, 1889, 78.— An editoral comment upon Mr. Bancroft's plan 

 was made in the preceding issue, page 36.— Z. H. B. 

 t Published in full in Cal. Frt. Gr. vi. 180 (March 22) 

 t Also in Cal. Frt. Gr. July 26. 



