HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 



was established, has so far, it appears to me, ac- 

 complished all that its most sanguine friends 

 expected; still there remains much to be done. 

 The future action of its members will be stimu- 

 lated by the reminiscence of its founders and 

 benefactors — these will cheer their path, and act 

 as a talisman on their future aspirations, while 

 tlie history of Mount Auburn will be a record, 

 in all coming time, that the members of this So- 

 ciety, some of whom are now present, were the 

 founders of that " Garden of Graves," and that 

 to its first President, General H. A. S. Dear- 

 born, are the members of this Society, and the 

 public, indebted for the beautiful and chaste 

 arrangement of this, the last resting place of so 

 many of the great and good. 



Tlie conmiittee to visit Gardens, and to ascer- 

 tain as far as possible the best mode of cultiva- 

 tion in the vicinity of Boston, have had every 

 fecility afforded them by the courtesy and kind- 

 ness of the proprietors of all the places they vi- 

 sited. In th^'se examinations they found many 

 things worthy, and much to admire. I would 

 again respectfully recommend this interesting 

 branch of our labors to the fostering care of the 

 Societj-, and also call its attention again to the 

 noble and interesting subject — Landscape Gar- 

 dening. For my views more fully on this de- 

 partment, purmit me to refer you to the re- 

 marks in my last annual address. 



The increasing taste for Horticultural pur- 

 suits requires prompt and corresponding action 

 to enable us to keep pace with the times. The 

 question with us now, is not luhat can be done, 

 but rather what will be done first to meet the 

 demands of the community, and the wants of 

 this Society. An Experimental Garden, enlar- 

 ged and more extended annual exhibitions, un- 

 der tents, &c., are subjects full of interest, and 

 may well occupy the attention, and hereafter 

 require the deliberate consideration of the Soci- 

 ety. 



But, gentlemen, a permanent Temple of am- 

 ple dimensions, to meet all the wants of the So- 

 ciety and the wishes of tlie public, is the first 

 thing which I would suggest for your conside- 

 ration. Let us obtain a suitable location — a 

 Home. I'or this purpose, let us economise our 

 resources, tax our time and owv energies, and 

 if need be, our fortunes, for this desirable con- 

 summation of the wishes of our friends, and the 

 foiinders of this Society ; many of them saw 

 only through the vista with the eye of liope; it 

 is our duty and privilege to carry out their de- 

 signs, and fill up the picture as it once present- 

 ed itself to the vision of the Lowells, the Sto- 

 rys, the Lymans, the Brimmers the Curtises, 

 the Bradlees and the Princes. "Without a hall 

 to exhibit to advantage all the specimens raised 

 by Horticultural efforts, we cannot fully accom- 

 plish our highest aim — the dissemination of a 

 knowledge of and love for Horticulture; imbue 

 the public with this, and the emulation that it 

 eate between amateurs, and the competi- 

 among cultivators for the market, will be 

 ut to fill, in a few years, the largest hall 



we could desire to possess. Having expressed 

 my views thus frankly, on this subject, permit 

 me to touch upon details, by suggesting wheth- 

 er a hall in every way suited for Horticulture, 

 might not be built and fitted up with reference 

 to Its soul-stirring kindred spirit — Music — 

 where the warbling voice and the " Bird Song" 

 might be wafted like the gentle zephyr among 

 the trees, the buds, the blossoms and the flow- 

 ers, to ravish the ear, while the eye shall be 

 charmed by the gems of lovely spring, or the 

 golden drops and purple hues of gorgeous au- 

 tumn. 



The third number of the Transactions and 

 Proccerfingsof the Society, which will complete 

 the first volume, will .soon be published. It has 

 been delayed from causes over which the Com- 

 mittee of Publication had no control, and which 

 will be set forth in the introduction of that 

 number. The history of the Society, by Gene- 

 ral Dearborn, is a document of great interest. 

 The propriety of printing an extra number of 

 copies of this part of the work, for the use of 

 its present members, and for future reference, 

 is respectfully submitted. 



The Report of the Finance committee will 

 show the estimated value of the Society's pro- 

 perty, together with its income and expendi- 

 tures. The increased appropriations for i)remi- 

 ums and gratuities for the present year, have 

 my cordial approbation. 



I cannot close tliese brief remarks without 

 again congratulating the members of the Socie- 

 ty on the success which has followed their unit- 

 ed efforts; a continuance of the same spirit of 

 disinterestedness, kindness and mutual esteem, 

 that has attended their action thus far, cannot 

 fiiil to reward their future labors, and render 

 their ways ways of pleasantness, and their paths 

 paths of peace. 



On motion, the report was referred to a spe- 

 cial commitee for disposal. 



Hon. Marshall P. AVilder, from the Com- 

 mittee on Finance presented their annual re- 

 port, from which we learn that the total receipts 

 of the Society have been $17,245.03, of which 

 $741 was the receipts of the annual fair, and 

 $10,000 the legacy of the Hon. Theodore Ly- 

 MAN. The cash in hand on the first of Janua- 

 ary was $231.99. The Lyman legacy has been 

 invested in stock of the AYorcester railroad, and 

 in the bonds of the Connecticut River and Pas- 

 sumpsic railroad. The real estate of the Soci- 

 ety in School-street is valued at $36,000, and 

 the total property at $53,718.87. 



J. S. Cabot, chairman of the Committee on 

 Premiums, recommended a change in that im- 

 portant branch of the Society. The Committee 

 recommend a change in the manner of giving 

 premiums, and an increase in the amount. 

 Among the changes a premium is recommend- 

 ed on Isabella and Diana grapes, of $5 for first 

 qualitj' of each, and $3 for second. 



Capt. JosiAH LovETT, of Beverly, moved 

 that an additional sum of $50 be placed in the 

 hands of the Distributing Committee, to be 



