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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 38
Horticultural Society
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Horticultural Society
December Session.
The regular monthly meeting of the Society was held at the Secretary's office on Saturday, December 14,1878.
The question of holding a Spring Fair, for the exhibition of semi-tropical fruits, was discussed at length, and on motion of Dr. Congar, it was decided to hold such a Fair at such time as the Board of Directors should fix, after a correspondence with fruitgrowers to ascertain their wishes, but not earlier than the 12th of March.
L. M. Holt offered a revised code of By-Laws for the consideration of the Society, which were referred to a committee of seventeen, with instructions to report to the January meeting. The committee consists of the members of the Board of Directors—J. de Barth Shorb, H. K. W. Bent, L. M. Holt, T. C. Severance, Dr. O. H. Congar, Gen. J. H. Shields and T. A. Garey; also the following members appointed by the Chair: Jas. Campbell of Pasadena, I. W. Lord, A. H. Denker, C. B. Woodhead, M. Thomas, A. N. Hamilton, C. H. Richardson, D. M. Berry, M. H. Kimball and Geo. Gephart, of Los Angeles.
Following is the code of By-Laws referred to the committee:
Article I.
This Society is an incorporation known as the Southern California Horticultural Society.
Article II.
Its principal place of business shall be in the city of Los Angeles.
Article III.
It shall be the object of this Society to collect and distribute information in regard to horticulture, agriculture and pomology; to hold exhibitions and award premiums for the best productions; to discuss the varieties of fruits and other products best adapted to its district, and the best methods of cultivating and propagating the same, and to seek the best markets for the fruits and other products when raised.
Article IV.
| Section 1. | The Society shall consist of first, active members, who, being either life or annual members, shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Society; and second, honorary members, who shall have the same privileges as the active members, but no vote in the transaction of the business of the Society. |
| Sec. 2. | Any person can become an annual member of this Society by paying into the Treasury the sum of five dollars. |
| Sec. 3. | Any person can become a life member of the Society by paying into the Treasury the sum of fifty dollars. |
| Sec. 4 | Whenever any sum of money is mentioned in these By-Laws, it is understood that United States currency, gold or silver coin shall be meant. |
| Sec. 5. | Persons eminent as horticulturists, whether residents of California or not, can be constituted' honorary members of the Society by a unanimous vote of the members present at any regular meeting. Honorary members are entitled to all the privileges of active members, except voting, but have to pay no fees. |
| Sec. 6. | Old members of the Society desiring to renew membership during the year 1879, will be entitled to a credit on renewal of membership, for any amount they may have paid the Society for dues of that year. |
Article V.
| Section 1. | The officers of the Society shall be a President, six Vice Presidents, a Secretary, Treasurer, and a board of seven Directors. |
| Sec. 2. | The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and Board of Directors, preserve order and vote only in case of a tie. He shall sign all warrants on the Treasury and all certificates of membership, and shall have a general supervision of the affairs of the Society, and shall see that all officers of the Society per-form their duties faithfully and legally. |
| Sec. 3. | The first Vice President shall be elected from Los Angeles county; the second Vice President, from San Bernardino county; the third Vice President from Santa Barbara county; the fourth Vice Presi-
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dent from San Diego county; the fifth Vice President from Ventura county, and the sixth Vice President from Kern county. In the absence of the President at any meeting of the Society, the first Vice President present on the list shall fill the President's chair, and for the time being, shall exercise all his powers and prerogatives. |
| Sec. 4. | The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the Society and of the Board of Directors; collect all dues and other funds coming to the Society, and pay them over to the Treasurer as received, taking his receipt for the same, and shall attend to all the correspondence of the Society. |
| Sec. 5. | The Treasurer shall take charge of all funds belonging to the Society, and shall disburse the same by order of the Directors made through the President and Secretary. |
| Sec. 6. | It shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to have a general supervision and control of the business affairs of the Society under direction of these By-Laws, and the legally expressed will of the Society, made at any regular or special session. |
Article VI.
| Section 1. | The annual election of the officers of the Society and the Board of Directors, shall take place on the second Thursday of March of each year. The election shall be by ballot, and all officers voted for shall be on one ticket, viz: a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer—all of whom shall be ex-officio members of the Board of Directors, and three Directors. In voting for the three Directors cumulative voting shall be allowed, as provided for in the corporation laws of the State of California. |
| Sec. 2. | The polls shall be open from 9 o'clock A.M. to 3 o'clock P. M., during which time any person who has been a member of the Society for ten days, and none others shall be allowed to vote. |
| Sec. 3. | The Board of Directors shall appoint a Clerk and two Judges of Election, whose duty it shall be to take charge of the election, register all voters, see that none but members vote, and count the votes and make returns to the Board of Directors, who shall hold a meeting immediately after the canvass is completed, or the next day, as they may elect, to receive the returns of the election officers, and declare the result. |
| Sec. 4. | Twenty members shall constitute a quorum of the Society at any regular or special meeting. |
| Sec. 5. | A plurality vote shall elect the officers and the members of the Board of Directors at the annual election. |
| Sec. 6. | The Board of Directors shall have power to fill all vacancies occurring in the Board, or in any of the officers of the Society. |
| Sec. 7. | A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum of that body. |
| Sec. 9. | Members of the Society, under the By-Laws as they existed prior to December 14, 1878. shall continue to be members until suspended for non-payment of dues, by being six months in arrears. |
Article VII.
| Section 1. | The Society shall hold quarterly meetings on the second Thursdays of March, June, September and December of each year, at such place in the City of Los Angeles and at such hour or hours of the day as may be decided from time to time by the Board of Directors. Special meetings may be called by the President, on the request of five members of the Society, or shall be called by the President on the order of the Board of Directors. |
| Sec. 2. | Special meetings of the Society, for discussion only, may be called at such times and places in Southern California as the Board of Directors may direct. |
Article VIII.
| Section 1. | The Society may hold exhibitions of fruits, flowers, plants, vegetables and seeds, and may offer and pay premiums or issue diplomas, on such articles as may be decided upon by the Society, and the exhibitions shall be held at such times and places as the Society may from time to time determine. |
| Sec. 2. | Members and their families shall have free admission to all exhibitions of the Society. |
| Sec. 3. | Life members of the Society shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Society, including family season tickets, to all Fairs held by the Society. Each life member shall also be entitled to the Horticulturist free of charge. |
| Sec. 4. | Annual members shall be en-titled to all the privileges of a life member or the period of one year from the time of becoming a member; provided, that in no case shall an annual member be entitled to a family season ticket to more than one annul Fair, without a renewal of membership by the payment of five dollars.page 65 |
| Sec. 5. | Three dollars shall entitle a person to a competitors ticket. This ticket entitles the holder to free admission to the annual Fair of the Society, a right to compete for any and all premiums, and shall also entitle the holder to the Horticulturist for one year, free of further expense, but such ticket does not confer upon the holder any right of membership in the Society. |
Article IX.
| Sec. 1. | All properties of the Society shall be under the control of the Board of Directors. |
| Sec. 2. | Donations to the Society shall be entered in a book kept for that purpose. |
Article X.
| Section 1. | The Board of Directors, shall elect a Finance Committee of three. |
| Sec. 2. | All bills against the Society shall be audited by the Finance Committee, and warrants on the Treasury shall be drawn by the President and Secretary, in accordance with the report of that committee. |
| Sec. 3. | The Finance Committee shall, from time to time, examine the financial condition of the Society, inspect the books of the officers, and perform such other duties as the Board may require. |
Article XI.
| Section 1. | The Board of Directors may require bonds of any officer holding moneys or property of the Society. |
| Sec. 2. | The Board shall fix the compensation of all employés of the Society during the holding of Fairs, or at other times when the work of the Society requires additional help, and shall have the appointment of all help, except the position of Assistant Secretaries, which shall be appointed by the Secretary, subject to the approval of the Board. |
Article XII.
| Section 1. | The Board of Directors shall appoint the following standing committees: |
General Committees.
- On Semi-Tropical Fruits,
- On Northern Fruits,
- On Viniculture,
- On Raisin and Table Grapes,
- On Irrigation,
- On Legislation,
- On Exhibitions,
- On Publications and Library.
- On Nomenclature.
| Sec. 2. | It shall be the duty of the Committee on Semi-Tropical Fruits to examine and report upon all questions referred to it by the Society relative to the propagation, budding or culture of semi-tropical trees and plants, and the disposition of semi tropical fruits; the Committee to consist of seven. |
| Sec. 3. | It shall be the duty of the Committee on Northern Fruits to examine and report upon all questions referred to it by the Society relative to the culture and sale of northern fruits; also small fruits of all varieties. |
| Sec. 4. | It shall be the duty of the Committee on Viniculture to examine and report upon all questions referred to it by the Society relative to the culture of the grape, and the manufacture of wine and brandy. |
| Sec. 5. | It shall be the duty of the Committee on Raisin and fable Grapes to examine and report upon all questions referred to it by the Society relative to the culture of raisin and table grapes, and the methods of manufacturing raisins. |
| Sec. 6. | It shall be the duty of the Committee on Irrigation to examine questions of irrigation, systems of water distribution, necessity for irrigation, wastage of water, legislation necessary to the irrigation question in Southern California, and report from time to time such conclusions as it may consider of benefit to the country. |
| Sec. 7. | It shall be the duty of the Committee on Legislation to examine all questions calling for further State or Congressional legislation that may be referred to it by the Society, and to draft such bills for the guidance of our Representatives in the Legislature or Congress and memorials as expressive of the wishes of this Society, and the people and interest it represents, as the Society may direct. |
| Sec. 8. | It shall be the duty of the Committee on Exhibition to devise ways and means for placing the horticultural exhibitions of Southern California on such a basis as shall be productive of the greatest good to fruit-growing interests of this section. |
| Sec. 9. | The Committee on Publications and Library shall have charge of a monthly publication which shall contain the proceedings of the Society, debates, prepared papers, and such other matters as shall be of general interest to members of the Society, and shall establish as soon as practicable, a reading room and library in connection with the editorial rooms of the monthly periodical. This Committee shall also prepare a programme of exercises for each quarterly meeting of the Society, and shall publish the same prior to such meetings |
| Sec. 10. | It shall be the duty of the Committee on Nomenclature to prepare such rules for their guidance in naming
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new varieties of fruits as shall be found accessary, and in accordance with the usages of Horticultural Societies, and shall report the same to the Society for their adoption, which rules shall govern them in the discharge of their duties. |
Article XIII.
| Section 1. | The Society shall establish as soon as practicable, a library and reading room in the city of Los Angeles, which shall be under the management of the Board of Trustees, and shall be free to all members. |
| Sec. 2. | The Society shall cause to be published a monthly periodical, under control of the Committee on Publications and Library. The expense of publishing such periodical shall be borne by the Society, and all receipts from its publication shall be turned into the Treasury of the Society. |
Article XIV.
These By-Laws may be amended, as provided by the Civil Code.