2005 California Government Code Sections 25920-25921 Article 2. Experiments

25920.  The boards of supervisors may carry on and conduct
experiments, investigations, and research work, including both
cultural and industrial processes, with trees, plants, shrubs,
flowers, and other vegetation, to ascertain their adaptation to the
climatic, soil, and other conditions of the county, investigate the
industrial and economic value of such trees, plants, shrubs, flowers,
and vegetation, and publish the results of such experiments and
investigations.
25921.  The board of supervisors may sell at a price not less than
the county's estimated cost, surplus plants, shrubs, flowers, trees,
and vegetation, and their seeds or products, produced at a county
arboretum.  The board may also exchange such materials for other
materials of approximately the same value with any person, entity,
political entity, or nation, or may distribute such materials without
charge to any person, entity or political entity in this state for
the purpose of testing such materials under conditions not obtainable
at the county arboretum, if in the discretion of the board of
supervisors such exchange or testing will benefit the arboretum or
facilitate the accomplishment of the purposes specified in Section
25920.  No such plant, shrub, flower, tree, seed or their product may
be sold if such plant, shrub, flower, tree, seed or their product is
available commercially within the State of California.
   In addition to the other powers herein granted, the board may
exercise any other powers it deems necessary and proper to promote
the objects and purposes of the county arboreta.