Then the Northern Nut Growers Association would be the thing that it is supposed to be, the thing that it is not at the present time when we're meeting with a deficit every year. I hope and believe, in fact it must be, that this is the last time we are going to meet with a deficit. We are going to have a good surplus next year or what is the use of going on?
MR. SPENCER: The governors of three or four of the states met in Chicago not very long ago to consider the interests of the states that center around Chicago. The people in Illinois don't know that the Forest Reserve covers sixteen thousand acres and that it has English walnuts growing just as nicely as you have them here. That knowledge hasn't been spread. Also there are people who are propagating nut trees in Illinois and southern Indiana. Now if our vice presidents in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Missouri, which is the native home of most every kind of hickory, would get together and go to any one of the central cities of those particular states, call a meeting of their customers in that neighborhood, and spread a knowledge of this association I think that we could build up a local interest that would advertise this organization wonderfully.
You have got to advertise and you must show to the common people who are going to be your members, who are going to be interested in nut trees, that they are valuable; that an ordinary acre of nut trees is worth ten times the value of any crop of wheat raised in Illinois, and Illinois is the wheat country. Before the hard wheat was discovered in Minnesota the whole south half of Illinois was given to wheat. But now so far as white wheat is concerned, and spring wheat, it isn't wanted and the result is that you have got to get something else into that country. Now that wheat country of southern Illinois is a natural nut country. Pecans, persimmons, chinkapins, grow wild all over there, and there is no reason why that land, which can be bought for from ten and fifteen dollars an acre up to twenty-five, according to the improvements, if the oil rights are eliminated, can't be made to produce a hundred to five hundred dollars an acre. If that is so, why not do it?
Today, Illinois has over 11,000,000 bearing apple trees, and they raise just as good apples there as any where, but they haven't got the organization, they don't advertise, and we don't know it generally. If we can organize and distribute our information, get these vice presidents from two or three cities to join with the chambers of commerce and have a meeting down at Evansville, among the nut growers, for instance, the growers of Indiana pecans, and see what they grow, and what they are worth, why then you can get the people interested. You must have somebody that is interested in the propagation of a new idea. Don't get somebody who just comes here for a good time without any desire particularly of learning anything. If he doesn't want to learn we don't want him.
THE SECRETARY: I understand that, in view of the very generous offer of the president to get a hundred new members in the ensuing year, and of the pledge of ten other men to get ten more members, or turn in the necessary amount to the treasury, each of us goes forth from the meeting tonight with the understanding that he is morally under obligations to do what the other members have promised to do.
THE PRESIDENT: It would be a nice thing to give a Christmas gift of a membership in this association and a subscription to the American Nut Journal. A great many of us receive Christmas gifts which are appreciated when received, and maybe for a week or ten days, two weeks or a month, and then they're forgotten; but this membership and the American Nut Journal that one would receive every month, would be a constant reminder of the giver. What do you think of that, ladies and gentlemen?
THE SECRETARY: It is a fine idea, Mr. President, and I will see that it is also incorporated in the letters to the state vice president that each vice president give to at least one friend a subscription and membership in the association. I suggest also that those who can write for the magazines and the journals get up little articles for the horticultural papers about nut culture. There can't be too many of those in the periodicals.
THE PRESIDENT: Apropos of that suggestion, I believe Mr. Tucker has something to say in regard to a special edition of the Journal. Maybe Mr. Olcott would be good enough to make one of his—
MR. TUCKER: (Interrupting) To make one of his numbers a convention number.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes; one of the numbers in the near future devoted largely to the proceedings of this convention, that is, if he could see his way clear to do it.