172 RURAL CALIFORNIA 



They were from the first a novel kind of organization 

 and in method and purpose quite unlike the horticul- 

 tural societies of other states and countries. They 

 set up no qualifications nor requirements of member- 

 ship; they had no constitution nor by-laws. Their 

 rallying cry was: "Let's get together and do some- 

 thing/' and the growers did get together and did 

 things continuously for forty years. 



It was in the same decade that promotion and 

 protection of fruit industries was permanently grafted 

 upon the State Government of California. Commis- 

 sions on viticulture were created in 1880, and in 1881 

 repressive and quarantine regulations against fruit 

 pests and diseases began by State authority. Prac- 

 tically every session of the legislature since that date 

 has amended and added to the laws providing for 

 State and county protection of fruit industries and 

 appropriated funds for the extension of such work. 

 In this original line of legislation, California 

 has provided models of purpose and enactment 

 to all other states which have moved in the same 

 direction since that time and has also influenced 

 the policies and provisions of the national govern- 

 ment. 



In the same decade also the foundations of dis- 

 tinctly horticultural literature were laid by free and 

 dignified publication by the State of the transac- 

 tions of fruit-growers' conventions and of State 

 Boards of Horticulture, Viticulture and Forestry ; by 

 the enlargement and improvement of horticultural 



