Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-04-10

W lClu NY LaulS HHy iOIrbr 10 III aCE SO az
verse 10 the horticultural interest Of the
State. I consider it MY duty, in Justice to N.Y.
self, and since the Board is now fully organ
ize1, to retire fson that Board I therefore
respectfully tender again to you my resigna-
ton as a member Of the Board of Horti-
culture
Thanking your Excsllsncy for the confidence
placed in me in appointing me to that posi-
ton of trust, have the honor TO remain,
Yours, very respectfully,
FELIX GILLET.
HORTICULTURAL INTERESTS.
Felix GiIlet Gives His Reasons for Re-
signing as Horticultural Commits
sioner.
EDS. RECORD UNION As your paper has
a large circulation throughout the district
that I have been representing on the Board
of Horticulture, respectfully ask space Of
your columns to give thu reasons that made
me resign the position of member of that
Board. At the meeting of the new Board
of Horticulture, OF which the REoORD. UNION
has given fair aud correct account, urged
upon the Board to postpone the election Of
" Inspector Of Fruit Pests so as to give
chance to every member Of the Board to be
present and help in selecting competent
person for that responsible office. [ repre-
scented TO che Board that too short notice
had been given the members Of the Board
to meet and such undue haste did look to
me as if the person that Issued that
call. Mr.. Boggs. did not want
full attendance of the Board to
organizs aud "elecs" My fears were well
founded, fer six only Of the Commissioners
were on hand. To show the haste of the
proceedings let me STATE that after the organ-
izstion and election of Inspector l aacer
tanned that Mr.. Wilson snd myself were the
only members that had taken the oath of Of
fee, rendering il necessary that the other
members of the Bosrd should take the oath
before doing any further business and to rem
der legal what had already been done.
My idea of the Beard of Horticulture was
that it had bsen created TO foster the horti-
cultural interests of the State and to provide
for the extirpation of fruit and fruis tree
pests; but l was ssdy mistaken
on that point, for L found this
Board to be rather q Pioneers Mutual Adj
mirstion Society, and before had got over
my establishment, and while contemplating
Section of the horticultural bill, which
reads az follows "The said Board shall
elect of their own numbsr, or appoint from
without their number. competent person.
especially qualified by practical experience in
horticulture for the duties of his office, who
skell be known as Inspector of Fruit Pests,
ETC.. l was told, by the election of Mr.. Boggs
to that Office, that Notary Public and
real estate agent !" would do as we'll if not
better than practical horticultural" I
asked myself whether this was really the
great Board Of Horticulture of California.
But, to still more confound me, after
we had told Mr.. Boggs that he was in
to act as Inspector of Fruit
Pests" and after my motion to recon-
slider the vote By which he was elected
had been lost, one of the cid pioneers made a
Commission. Says be, eve old pioneers
were planting wheat before those men were
born" at the same time pointing with MS
hand at Messrs. Chaplin and Gillet. ''What
do We care" continued the old pioneer,
s. about book and scientific men; we are
practical mep, who work on the ground we
learn by work and not by books" And
into the different branches of agri-
culture, the old pioneer landed in the Uni
versity Of California, where the learned pro.
fessors of that famous institution got knock
upon the head and were treated as "green-
horns,"
Mr.. Chaplin and myself, after adjourn
ment, went straight to the Governor and
rendered our designations. The Governor,
whom | beliVe is well intentioned, seemed to
be greatly annoyed at the failure of the
Board at its first meeting, snd urged us to
stay and not TO desert the organization at
lime that our presence might be most needed.
In Difference for the Governor, we concluded
to remain, so IS to permit the Board TO fully
organize, not wishing by our withdrawal to
Al 10
without quorum, and, in so doing, break up
sde organization. But now that the Board is
and ready for business, for my
part, l deem it duty to myself TO retire
from a Board that acted so unwisely 10
choosing its Inspector. cannot by my siledce,
and by remaining on the Board, couutensnce
the squandering of the peoples money in the
of gentleman deficient in horti.
culture and entomology. and at salary Of $50
per month, with $3.50 for travelling expenses,
when there are in the State scores of men
who havs given their time, money, talent
aud brains toward the study of horticulture,
and the best remedies to prevent
the spreading of fruit and fruit-tree pests
and to check their ravsges. 1 could not see
what use could be On that Board, the USE
fulness OF which had been destroyed by such
an appointment. l therefore sent to the Gov.
ernor my resignation.
Now will add this In this whole trans
action somebody has been imposed upon. In
the first list of the members of the Board
there did not appear the name of Mr.. Boges.
but that of A. T. Hatch, of Solano, prac-
ticsl horticulturist, and also that of Charles
Horticulture at the University, and ex-
President of the old Board of Horticulture.
One or two days after those appointments
were made Mr.. Boggs was substituted
in place of Mr.. Hatch, and MIR. Kimbsll in
place of Mr.. Dwinelle. Not thas Mr.. Hatch
had resigned or even intended to resign, for
as Senator Buck, of Solano, stated to me in
Mr.. Hatch in his presence
learned that Mr.. Boggs had been substituted
in his place at the same time that he learned
that he HATCH had been appointed on the
Commission. But MIR. Boggs, who on bis
own avowal has been working hard for the
know to perfection the art OF pulling wires.
rhe next move of Mr.. Boggs, after having
secured hold on the Board, was, directly
after he had been appointed, to call meet
ing of the Board on short notic3-juss few
lsys-with the natural expectation that there
would be small attendance. In that he
very well, and got away with the
persimmons.
l conclude by quoting you the following
ette- from w. Is. West, OF Stockton, ana
member of the Board for the San Joaquin
district Yours of the the q instant is
ust at hand. I agrees with you in all of your
points. The call for meeting to organize
s too hsstY, and for what purpose such
Undue haste. I am unable, to determine. l
vas SO indignant that 1 Immediately sent
u my resignation. It is thankless and
Improbable Office, and 1 do not want it.
It seems to me that some one wants the
situation of Horticultural Officer, the only
,ue excsp. the Secretary that is paid. Hop
ng that the Commission will be as useful to
Tie State az possible, remain yours, very
ruly.h And with Mr.. West 1 say, in the
rope that the Commission will be success,
remain, yours very truly,
FELIX GILLET
Ex-Horticultural Commissioner for FL Do,
RADIO District.
Nevada City, April 9. 1888.