The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-03-05
N. c. STATE HORTICULTURAL
SOCIETY.

pointed to memOrialize the Governor
and legislature upon
THE WORK AND NEEDS OF THE STATE
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
This Society was founded in 1879 bv
a number of the most prominent citi
Eens OF North Carolina, who recognized
the great natural advantages of our
State for fruit and vegetable growing
The objects of the Society, as stated
at its first meeting, were to encourage
the development of our vast but unap
preciated horticultural resources by
1. Disseminating trustworthy infor
nation among our people as to the best
varieties to plant and the best methods
of caring for orchards, vineyards and
gardens.
2 To secure cheaper rates and better
methods of transportation to Northern
markets, where the bulk of our produce
is sold.
L~~3 To endeavor to secure settlers for
CUR idle lands from among horticultur-
lists of less favored States by furnishing
reliable information in regard to our
natural resources.
All of these objects have been, in a
considerable degree, attained, but not
to the extent hoped for by the found
ers of the Society, or that might have
been attained had the Society been
properly supported.
The State Horticultural Society has
been less successful than it should have
been, because it has from the Begin
ming suffered from a lack of funds
necessary to carry on it's legitimate
work. Yet the present status of our
horticulture is very d1fferentand very
much in advance of what it was fifteen
years ago. It is indisputable that much
of this advancement has been brought
about by the public and private teach
ing and influence of the State Horti-
cultural Society.
The work of such a society is of a
public nature and essentially for the
public benefit In States where horti-
culture is in an undeveloped condition,
the work of such society is wholly
public In its scope and benefit. The
active membership of horticultural
society under such circumstances is
necessarily small, because the interest
and knowledge required to make hor-
ticulture successful are wanting. This
Society assumed the responsibility of
educating our own citizens to the value
of the untouched mlnes Of wealth at
their doors, and of attracting to the
State settlers who have the knowledge
and capital requisite for carrying on
this business. The result is, in the
sag1e degree that the Society is enabled
to carry on its work, the opening of
new and profitable lines of work to our
own citizens; the attraction of new
horticultural skill and capital to the
State; the increased taxable value of
lands; additional work for transporta-
tion companies; more labor for men,
women and children, and the general
spread of refinement, always found in
communities devoted to horticultural
pursuits.
There is no State in the Union which
has attained any prominence in COM
mercial horticulture which has not an
active State horticultural society, sup
ported in part by funds appropriated
from the public treasury. The State is
the chief beneficiary of such work, and
the expense Of carrying on the work is
too heavy for small band of private
citizens to permanently assume. The
amount of funds yearly granted for
this purpose varies in the different
States from $500 in such horticulturally
unpromising States as New Hampshire
to $35, 600 in California. The latter
State has within ten years become the
chief fruit growing State in the Union.
IN that State the lands which arc
adapted to fruit growing have, largely
through the far seeing liberality Of the
public authorities and the well organ
lied work of its horticultural societies,
risen in ten years from $26 to $500 and
81. 900 per acre. Yet we have here In
North Carolina lands Rs well adapted
to growing decidious fruits-apples,
peaches, plums, pears, figs, etc.-as
the best lands in California. But our
own people, and those of less favored
States who are seeking new locations,
are still largely ignorant of these re-
sources. Ohio grants to its State Hor
ticultural Society 81. 900 a year; Iii
nois, $4 900; Indiana. $1,000; New Jer-
sey, 500; Rhode Island, 81, 600; Maine,
81, OOl Kansas, 81. 45O; Nebraska, g.