STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 3 



The Society must depend chiefly for its continued support and 

 efficiency upon the life members. This class of memberships is 

 better both for the Society and the individual, by reason of the 

 comparatively small payment required ($10.00), the additional 

 benefits mutually secured and the permanent investment of the 

 proceeds. 



There was no increase in the number of life members, and con- 

 sequently none in the amount of the permanent fund, during' the 

 year ending December 31st. The list being made up at a later 

 date embraces the names of several who became such at the 

 Winter Meeting and whose payments will appear in the Treas- 

 urer's accounts for 1877. 



I am happy to report that so far as I am informed no member of 

 the Society has deceased during the year. 



The Society most urgently needs a large accession to its mem- 

 bership, and that it should embrace every section of the State. 

 This will be apparent when it is remembered that its plans em- 

 brace, among other things, the collection of statistics, the gather- 

 ing and diffusion of general information, the making of careful 

 and extended experiments and observations, and the active work 

 of the meetings and exhibitions. 



There are enough persons in the State directly interested in the 

 objects which the Society aims to promote, to place it, by their 

 assistance and cooperation, on a level, financially and in its de- 

 veloping and educational power, with the flourishing horticultural 

 societies of the other States of the Union. And there is a still 

 larger class interested generally in the welfare of the State, in the 

 development of its resources and the increase of its productions 

 and in making its citizens prosperous and contented at home, to 

 whom we may with propriety'' appeal for material aid. We seek 

 to build up and encourage the arts of horticulture and rural adorn- 

 ment, — promoting prosperity, health, education and happiness, as 

 the conditions of good citizenship and high civilization. We do 

 not expect that any person by joining our Society will become 

 suddenly rich or successful, but that all will be benefitted and the 

 State enriched. 



It is gratif^'ing to report that the Society is making constant 

 but very gradual additions to its working force from among the 

 more intelligent horticulturists of the State, and receiving much 

 encouragement and assistance from prominent individuals of the 

 same class abroad. 



