THE SEOllETARY'rf PORTFOLIO. 325 



farmers ami fruit-growers of Michigan need help in their occupation and 

 should not waste any of their energies in antagonizing each other through 

 rival organizations. 



LIBERALITY IN A GOOD CAUSE. 



At the last meeting in the year of the New York Horticultural Society the 

 wealthy men of New York subscribed $110,000 for the purchase of a perma- 

 nent building in which to hold meetings and have exhibitions. 



While waiting for the committee to make their report, the President took 

 occasion to state that the whole amount of the purchase money for the new 

 building had been raised, and now very much if not all of our anticipated 

 success would depend on our exhibitions. We ought to make them as pleasant 

 and interesting as possible to the public, they were so prompt in responding to 

 the call for funds. On looking over our old charter he had observed that the 

 same class of people had responded to-day as had received our original charter. 

 For instance, here are some names recorded in the act of incorporation of 

 1822, with whom he had a personal acquaintance: Martin Hoffman, Kinloch 

 Stuart, Thomas Ludlow, Peter Schermerhorn, Maturin Livingston, David 

 Hosack, James Lenox, Gardner Howland, all very familiar names a half cen- 

 tury ago ; now, all passed away. Of the names recorded in the act but one 

 remains to-day — Walter Langdon, who lives to see the society which he assisted 

 to create in 1822, in its own home at the age of sixty. Seventeen gentlemen 

 had subscribed $5,000 each and eighteen from $1,000 to $2,000 each, and thus 

 the building had been secured to the Horticultural Society. Our success 

 depends now on the interest the working members will take. We must not 

 be behind Boston or Philadelphia. He hoped improvement would soon be 

 made in the building, and considered it a subject for congratulation that we 

 had secured so fine a building in so desirable a locality, and that so little 

 change was necessary to make it ready for our use. 



LOCAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 



President Ohmer, of the Montgomery (Ohio) Horticultural Society, says 

 that no societies (unless it be church organizations) do as much good in the 

 community as our horticultural societies. That fact is recognized even by 

 those who do not attend our meetings. 



Mathew Crawford, of another Ohio society, remarks that there is a pleasure 

 in becoming acquainted with those who are interested in the same things that 

 interest us; and one of the advantages of a society like this is, that it brings 

 people together and makes such acquaintance. One day in a month is not too 

 much to give to a work so enjoyable and at the same time so profitable. The 

 American people have but few holidays, and none of us will accomplish less 

 during the year on account of time spent at these meetings. Those who are 

 well posted can do good, and all can get good. Horticulture is a very compre- 

 hensive subject, and no one can excel in all its branches. Nearly every one has 

 his specialty, and he knows some things about it that others do not. The 



