, 1864-12-08
ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURE.
AL SOCIETY.
Annual Meeting.
[From Our Own Correspondent

Annual Meeting.
[Fron Our Own Correspondent
B1oonsaroa, Dec. 6, 1851
The Illinois State Horticultural societ
met at the Normal School in this city thI
morning, the President, Smiley Shepherd
/ Esq, in the chair, and Wm. c.. Flagg, Esq.
Secretary. The attendance is Unprecedented
~ large, and deep interest in the proceed
ings is manifested. There will be an exhibi
tion Of fr1nt in connection with the conyen
tion, but that part Of the programme has no
yet been revealed.
Rev. H. R. Rice, Of Bloomington, invoked
the Divine Blessing upon the proceedings o
the Convention.
President Edwards, ofthe Normal Unirer
sity; in very, happy effort, welcomed ths
members of the Convention to the hospital
.ty Of the University, and the people Of Bloom
ington generally. :,
The Pretldent, Smiley Shepherd, then read
his opening address. -.
PRESIDENT SHEPHERDS ADDRESS,
The President then delivered q very able
address: ID sS The followipg Is synopsis: :,
In the many enjoyments Of his mercy, to come
hitheI to indulge In our Ninth ANIMAL Exhi-
bitioR We are rejoiced to 1nd cheerful
welcome from the large hearted hospitality
Of this goodly village, with its royal school
TIMES ofa rising generation, who are to stand
up and exult thai equal rights and liberty Is
in all our borders-a glorious reality, and not
the gi1ded sentiment: :ty Of spurious hy-
pocfisy. We Joyful. ecord our gratitude for
The kindness extend. US in allowing Us to
Occupy tbs a{tn SPACIOUS sEa ia i 1 comfortable pacs
there in the pursuit { Horticulture, and in
how and what does it ~, that it should be-
recommended to the world? ~ We answer,
that 1t pays In many ways. From the stand
point Of economy. It pa ys commercially By af
fit from investment in a limited scale than
can be secured By Agriculture on g more cx
tenslve and popular form. It's economic yal-
ne is ALSO sustained by Its ,genic tendencies.
Tho fruits Of the earth are designed BY the
Creator Tor his creatures, and experience fully
demonstrates their adaptation to their orief.
nal purpose.
1t pays esthetically. The cultivation Of
sympathy for the refining and elcyating art
OF Hol ticulturc, aids much to improve the
social position Of man. His mind takes On
the genial cast; his surroundings till his cha
r1ctcT, and the amenities Of his life confirm, II
judgment in his faror.
Taken snmmarily, then, VIC say and main
tain that Horticulture, as pursuit, has an
elcyating, refining and moralizing influence.
and as m auxiliary in promoting the welfare
Of community, is worthy Of ali good will.
Fortified, then, In the conviction that our
pursuits are In strict consistency with that
Law which requires us to love our nelshbors
MS ourselves, NC hesitate not to commend the
cause to more universal acceptance than what
ii has ever Jet attained. may add that some
more general organiza LONESOME more syste-
matte arrangements must be effected, before
we can make our influence in favor Of Hortl-
culture adequately felt By the community.
He suggested to this Society to attempt
the complete organization of the State SOME.
what after the present model OF County Az
ricultural Societies. These smaller societies
to hold during the year such festivals and
fairs as they may choose, the membership
fees in these societies to be applied TO pro-
cure copies Of the proceedings of tho State
Society, one copy at least for each member,
and as many more as may be desirable to give
as premiums for the production of anything
specially worthy Of regard the proceeds Of
the necessaries for such occasions. and to de.
tray the expenses Of lectures aud other iuci-
dentals. The advantages Of such system
would be that copies OF our annual proceed
ings would reach every ne1ghborhood in the
State, and be ready reference for instsuc-
ton and information: Ths certainty Of funds
able it not only to secure from the most COM
petent and successful Hortcu1turists, essays
and papers on every branch of the art, but 10
publish and circulate them so effectual1ythat
they would scarce tail Of efecting much good.
TO complete this organization will fequirc
the effort would not be hopeless.
President shepherd presented to the Socie-
II the fact that member Of this Society, long
and favorably known in the horticultural
world, had been charged through the papers,
over respectable signature, with perpetrat-
worthless articles, knowing them 10 be such,
and in order to yindicate the Society before
the world from any completely With these
frauds, he recommended the appointment Of
committee to examine into the case, and all
other such, and report the facts and evidence,
that they mag 60 upon our records, that our
integrity may be upheld.
The President stated the reasons which in
fuenced the Executive Committed in not
holding fair the past season. The spring
opened favorable, and the show Of flowers
IND n aPples ~as beyond ao1tang ever known
early promise yielded o1l1 small per cent
Of fruit, and this litt!4 4as so beset with It's
many enemies that q aound specimen could
scarcely he found. The peach, apricot, and
nectarine tailed to yieldt flower: A large
portion Of the cherry family did little better.
The plum did about as we'll as the cherry.
Where the grapes were unpoluted they lost
most of their first buds, and in many places
tue vine was Killed down to the snoW line.
The pear WAS kind of exception. Where It
hnd escaped the blight Of former years, put
in 9 fair show Of flowers, set good crop Of
fruit, and amid the 1avagcs Of blight and the
cnrcnlio, perfected some good specimens.
The smaller fruits were generally failure.
The strawberry was about one-f1fth OF q crop,
the raspberry and blackberry about one
third, and cnrrant and gooseberry one half. |
With these unpromtstng prospects for a show I
offiuit, With low finances, We postponed the
matter for your action.
That something might be done to relieve |
the financial pressure IN effort was made to |
secure a meeting Of horticultural friends at |
but 1t failed. Correspondence with spirited |
Individuals abroad, and with kindred associa-
tions In the Eastern portion Of our country, |
strongly indicates the duty Of taking early |
measures to collect and preserve accurate and |
full records and history Of al organized ef
ture in our State: They, with like contribu-
tions from sister States, would form the first
leaves Of library that will be considered In |
valuable In coming years.
Correspondence with the Commissioner Of |
the Agricultural Bureau Of our Government |
shows ;3 the want Of some system By which .
full statistical report OF the animal value of I
our horticultural products would be known.
At the conclusion Of the Presidents address,
on motion, the initiation fee for admission to
the Society was fixed at 81. Some fifty names
were added to the list OF members,
On motion, Messrs. Charles Dingie, Of Ches-
ter county, Penn. +; L. Foster, Of M1scatine,
Iowa; JOS. G. Ratcllfte, Of Richmond, Ind.
and Lewis Jones, Of Ceureville, Ind, were
elected honorary members Of the Society, and
invited to take seats In the Convention.
A discussion arose, on motion Of Dr..
Schroeder, Of Bloomington, to elect honorary
from other States, who are not pres
cnt- The subject was finally referred to
Committee consisting Of E. C. Hall, OF Alton,
=. K. Phenix, Of Bloomington, aud G. ". y,
Miner, Of Macklnaw, to report upon at some !:
future meeting.
The Treasurer's report was then read.
TREAsuRER's REPORT.
G. ". Dimmock, Treasurer Of the State !
Horticultural Society, made his report.
RECEIPTS.
memberships. s379.7O
DISBURSEMENTS.
Publishing transactions, 1900 COPIES. $4,000
Jthtr expenses.- 8a.t7
N&u 80 &JSz.b{ !
JeuC1a.- ...-s....-..-.... sI.ol |
Corresponding secretary's report follows;
CORRESPONDING sEcRETAnf's REPORT.
William c. Flagg, Esq, Corresponding &c.