THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 149 



ular demand for such publications as those of the Institute 

 sufficient to make them tinancially protitahle, there can he 

 no question that they are extremely valuable in maintain- 

 ing the reputation of the society and as a means of ob- 

 taining exchanges. The committee believes the question 

 worthy of careful consideration, whether these publications 

 cannot be made of much greater vahie to the Institute l)y 

 suitable efforts to enlarge the field of exchanges. It un- 

 hesitatingly recommends that the publications be contin- 

 ued and that every encouragement possible be given to 

 those who are trying to do good historical and genealogi- 

 cal work, especially that relating to this locality. The 

 committee suggests that the council consider the advisa- 

 bility and practicability of raising a publication fund which 

 will furnish an income sufficient to pay all expenses of 

 publication so that the Institute may be insured against 

 the possibility of any pecuniary inconvenience on account 

 of the maintenance of this department. It is recom- 

 mended that the copies of the society's publications now 

 on hand should be arranged properly by volumes and a 

 special opportunity extended to such libraries and soci- 

 eties as are subscril^ers to these publications to complete 

 their sets so far as possible. A new catalogue and price 

 list of the publications should be prepared, and the com- 

 mittee recommends that the price to members of the In- 

 stitute be placed as near cost as practicable, while the 

 price to those not members for papers which have become 

 scarce should be increased. 



William H. Gove, 

 T. F. Hunt, 

 Geo. M. Whipple. 



