1863. 



THE ILLINOIS FARMEK. 



M 



To the second suggeBtion, we recommend that 

 ihe cypress may he taken as an ornamental sub- 

 stitute for trellising the grape, but not-usefully 

 available in extensive vineyard culture 



To the third suggestion we present as our 



opinion that, however ornamental such mulch 



may be, the protection it could afford to the top 



of the tree would be too feeble and uncertain to 



^warrant any expense in securing its use. 



In relation to the suggestions presented in the 

 communication of Dr. Kennicott, your committee 

 would desire to say : 



Ist. That the taxation of nurserymen, by re- 

 quiring them to take out licenses for the pursuit 

 of their special calling, is not founded upon any 

 just distinction between these and other agricul- 

 tural producers. If any branch of productive 

 agriculture is to be taxed in this manner, we can 

 see no good reason why all should not be. 



Neither of the members of your committee is 

 a nurseryman, and we cannot underetaod why 

 our plants and immature horticultural products 

 may not be subjected to taxation with as much 

 propriety as those of the nurserymen. By our 

 State laws all " growing crops" are exempted 

 from taxation, and in practice all products of the 

 nursery are regarded as such. 



Your committee, therefore, respectfully recom- 

 mend that the Commissioner of loternal Revenue 

 be requested to reconsider his decision in the 

 premises, and so modify it as to avoid what 

 seems to be an unjust discrimination against this 

 important interest. 



2d. The establishment of a " Department of 

 Agriculture" by laws passed at the last session 

 of Congress, we regard as an advance step of 

 the greatest importance ; and, as a national rec- 

 ognition of that interest which lies at the very 

 foundation of all other material interests of the 

 United States, we hail it with pleasure. 



Your committee cannot forbear to express the 

 hope that the next step which shall place them 

 upon a level with the other divisions of the Ex- 

 ecutive Department of the General Government, 

 making its head the peer of other cabinet offi- 

 cers, will not long be delayed. 



3d. Your committee desires to say that thus 

 far in the administration of the new depart- 

 ment, they have observed nothing to condemn 

 but much to commend ; that in the energy and 

 intelligence- which seem to characterize its man- 

 agement they discover an earnest of increasing 

 usefulness ; that it would, perhaps, add to the 

 confidence now felt in that department if gome 

 prominent, able agriculturist from the great 



Northwest were associated in its management ; 

 and, that they recommend to this Society to ex- 

 tend to the present head of that Department the 

 assurance of their hearty sympathy and co-ope- 

 ration. Respectfully submitted. 



Gko. W. Minier, Chairman. 

 Smilet Shepherd, 

 John P. Rsynolds, 



Committee. 



ELECTION OF OFFICERS. 



The election of officers being in order, this in- 

 teresting and always exciting subject was taken 

 up and in a very short time harmoniously dis- 

 posed of. 



President — G. W. Minier of Mackinawtown, 

 Fulton county. 



Corresponding Secretary — W. C. Flagg of Moro, 

 Madison county. 



Recording Secretary — W. C. Ferguson of Rock- 

 ford. 



Assistant Recording Secretary — K. H. Fell of 

 BloomingtoD. 



Treasurer — Samuel Edwards of Lamoille, Bu- 

 reau county. 



Vice President at Large — O. B. Galusha. 



Vice Presidents — District No. 1 ; J. Periam, of 

 Hope, Cook county. No. 2: C. N. Andrews, 

 Rookford. No. 3: A. R. Whitney, Franklin 

 Grove. No. 4 : J. H. Stewart, Quincy. No. 5 : 

 W. A. Pennall, Granville. No. 6: J. 0. Dent, We- 

 nona. No. 7 : M. L. Dunlap, Champaign. No. 

 8 : 0. M. Coleman, Bloomington. No. 9 : C. C 

 Sturtevant, Beardstown. No. 10 : J. Huggins, 

 Bunker Hill. No. 11 : C. A. Montross, Central- 

 ia. No. 12: George Barry, Alton. No. 13 S 

 T. J. Evans, South Pass. 



This Society has always had a good set of 

 officers, without the least jealousy among them. 

 The friends of Mr. Galusha wished to put him 

 in the chair the second time, but as it has been 

 the practice to elect a new man to this office, Mr. 

 G., as an endorsement of his acts, was elected 

 Vice President it large, a position highly com- 

 plimentary to him. 



4»- 



II^'The redemption of soiled postage stamps 

 in New Yoik city, has thus far amounted to the 

 sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. 



B!^.The Charleston Mercury publishes a ta- 

 ble in which it concedes the death, on the battle- 

 field, in hospital, etc., of one hundred thousand 

 men since the war commenced. 



