Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-09-22
MADE STATE BLOOM.
WORK OF ILLINOIS HORTICULTURAL
SOCIETIES.

What Fifty Years of Endeavor Has
Done For Fruit Growing, Forestry.
VeEetnbIes and the BeautifyinE OF
Parks and Homes.
Were a history Of the horticulture Of
Illinois for the last half century to be
written It necessarily would include the
history Of the horticultural societies Of
the state. for 10 the effort of these or
ganizatiOns is largely due the knowledge
Of the capabilities and resources Of the
state and the diffusion Of horticultural
information The pioneers in this work.
for the most part. were men in the
nursery business, who did s!uch for the
propagation and dissemination Of trees
and plants for fruit, shelter and orna-
ment in the Prairie State.
Previous TO 1850 efforts had been
made to secure an organization Of these
interests, but not until meeting held
at Princeton in 1851 did they result
successfully At that time was formed
the Northwestern Fruit Growers ssso-
dent and Samuel Edwards as secretary
Its largest membership was in Illinois
but il also included southern WisCon-
sin and eastern Iowa. Meetings were
held successively at Dixon. Chicago
Burlington and Alton The Burlington
meeting was notable for its exhibition
Of apples, rivaling in extent and per-
fectiou anything Of later years The
meeting at Alton seeE4s to have been
the last
/ In 1855 the Illinois State Horticul.
tural society was organized at Decatur
( with DR.. Z, :. Hull as its first presi-
dent. In 1851 the society was inCorpor-
/ ated, and from that time on the list Of
officers and members has included the
names Of all the prominent horticultur-
lists of the state. The earlier members
devoted not only time and expense 20
/ attend the meetings and furnish papers
and discussions, but often contributed
the money necessary to publish and dis
, tribute the proceedings FOR the benefit
cf the public.
! In 1857 the legislature, recognizing
/ the value Of the society and the work
/ il was doing made an appropriation
| for the purpose Of extending its field
/ This has been continued and added to,
/ and now the biennial appropriation for
/ this society is regarded by the general
assembly as one sure TO be carefully and
/ economically managed and benefcent
in its results,
Since the reorganization Of the 50.
ciety its management has been vested
! in an executive board, consisting of the
/ president and secretary. elected by the
state society. and the president and
vice president OF each Of the three dis
trict societies the northern. central and
southern. The district societies hold
annual meetings The state society
holds its annual meeting usually the
/ last week i'll December. and its pro-
gTamme is made up Of the best avail
able talent Of the state, assisted gener-
ally by some Of the prominent horticul-
! turists of neighboring states
/ An edition Of !, 900 copies of the an
nual report is published and furnished
free 10 the life and annual members Of
/ the state and district societies, TO pub
lie libraries and various local horticul-
/ tural societies and distributed through
/ the County Farmers institutes 1t is
/ conceded these reports are not surpassed
/ in practical information and complete
ness by any other state report published
/ in the country.
/ An attractive addition TO the winter
meetings Of the society are exhibits of
fruits nuts and vegetables. for which
liberal premiums are offered In the
earlier years public fairs or exhibitions
/ occasionally were held during the season
when fruit and flowers were most
abundant.
/ The Illinois fruit exhibit at Chicago
/ in 1893 was a notable one and did much
to call attention TO Illinois as q fruit
producing state, In all 429 varieties sf
fruits were shown.
/ At the Omaha exposition in 1898
successful exhibit was kept up from
June to November.
/ But it is not the fruit industry alone
that receives the fostering care Of this
society. Flower and vegetable garden
ing. the conservation Of forests the
planting of groves and the ornamenta-
tion Of parks AID home grounds all re-
! ceiye attention