1. The Missouri state horticultural society shall be composed of such persons as take an interest in the advancement of horticulture in this state who shall apply for membership and pay into the society treasury the sum of one dollar per year, or ten dollars for a life membership, the basis for organization to be the Missouri state horticultural society, as now known and existing, and whose expenses have been borne and annual reports paid for by appropriations from the state treasury.

2. The business of the society, so far as it relates to transactions with the state, shall be conducted by an executive board to be composed of the president, vice president, second vice president, secretary and treasurer, who shall be elected by ballot at an annual meeting of the society; the governor of the state shall be ex officio a member of the board; all other business of the society to be conducted as its bylaws may direct.

3. All appropriations made by the state for the aid of the society shall be expended by means of requisitions to be made by order of the board on the commissioner of administration, signed by the president and secretary and attested with the seal; and the treasurer shall annually publish a detailed statement of the expenditures of the board, covering all moneys received by it.

4. There shall be printed annually, under the direction of the board, such number of reports of the proceedings of the board, society and auxiliary societies as may, in the judgment of the state purchasing agent, be justified by the appropriation made for that purpose by the general assembly, such annual report not to contain more than four hundred pages.

5. The secretary of the society shall receive a salary of eight hundred dollars per annum as full compensation for his services; all other officers shall serve without compensation, except that they may receive their actual expenses in attending meetings of the board.