THE SECRETARY: I know that to some members this premium offering for new members does not seem an advisable thing; to others it does seem a good thing to do. Perhaps that would be a good question to debate at the present time.
THE PRESIDENT: I think it is a good idea, Doctor, to the end of getting a thousand members this year?
MR. JONES: Set aside a thousand trees if you get a thousand members.
MR. OLCOTT: Mr. President, Mr. Jones said the cost of growing the tree isn't so much, but the packing and mailing is something. How would it do to offer the tree at cost of packing and mailing—fifty cents, or so? I suppose the value of that tree would be about a dollar, grown, packed and delivered. Suppose we made it twenty-five, thirty-five or fifty cents, something to cover the cost of packing? Would that not make it——
MR. JONES: (Interrupting.) We don't want anything for packing.
MR. O'CONNOR: Mr. President, If you make a bonus of that kind, which is very generous of Mr. Jones, I think it would be appreciated by some, but others would say, "Well, a thing which you get for nothing isn't worth much." This gentleman behind me here says, "Make it cost a little something, which would make it more attractive." How about putting the membership up a little, so as to cover the cost of mailing.
MR. JONES: I would say that the association was giving these trees because it wants them tried out for new varieties.
MR. SNYDER: The fact that our association offers these trees ought to be enough to establish their value. A new member would appreciate receiving something in this way. The largest horticultural society in our country is the Minnesota Horticultural Society. They have followed the practice for years of giving to each new member a tree of some kind, scions or plants of new fruits, and it has been a great success in building up their society. I doubt not that it will be here.
MR. SPENCER: I'm heart and soul in favor of the movement for better nut trees. I'm tired of having trees planted that produce nothing but litter, and for the small boy to keep breaking all the time instead of going fishing. As I said the other day through the committee on trees of the Bird and Tree Club of Decatur we have placed in that city a hundred and fourteen nut trees. I believe that I can go to the different purchasers and say that this association is anxious to increase the knowledge of the people as to the value of nut orchards and nut trees for food and shade and I can get them to become members. When those subscriptions are sent in send the names to Mr. Jones and have all the trees put in a little package and sent to me. Then I can deliver them and Mr. Jones will only have one package to do up.
I believe by a little effort among our friends a great deal of good can be accomplished. For instance I stated here that I was going to buy a subscription to the American Nut Journal and send it to the Maitland County Farm Bureau. Likewise, I hope I can get the Board of Education or the Public Library, which purchased twenty-eight different trees to put in the library grounds, to subscribe for the Nut Journal and take out membership. It won't be very hard, I should say, to get fifty or sixty new members in Decatur without going out and making myself a regular canvassing agent. I have got a great many friends there and I know that upon my representation they would be very glad to take out a membership and get a tree. Anybody can go and plant a Carolina poplar or a soft maple, or a basswood, or an elm, but his lot won't look different from any other. If all the ladies in town dressed in the same calico and the same cut you would not know whose wife was who. This idea of having all the yards, all the lots, all the places look alike, is wrong. You might as well have your home look distinctive and if you will take that idea, to have your place stand out as a place distinct in horticulture on your street, in your block, or in your city, you can appeal to civic pride. You must appeal to something besides dollars and cents. You must appeal to their public spirit, their civic pride. Then you can get them interested. A great many people are proud of their city and there are a great many people who can very easily say with Paul, "I am a citizen of no mean city."