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In botany, which had been successfully cultivated here 

 before the Society was instituted, less remained to be done, 

 but the difficult departments of the lichens and mosses have 

 been satisfactorily elucidated by two of our members, and 

 we are in daily expectation of a work on the forest trees 

 of our State by another, whose ability is a sure guaranty 

 of its merit. We have also among us chemists of general 

 reputation, thoroughly imbued with the spirit of the chemical 

 philosophy of the day, whose labors anticipating in important 

 particulars, some of the recent discoveries of distinguished 

 European chemists, have already exerted a wide-spread influ- 

 ence on our agricultural interests, and who are still engaged 

 in original investigations. 



The Journal of the Society, which has now reached its 

 fifth volume, is full of contributions to the natural history of 

 the United States ; their merit is acknowledged, and they 

 will afford invaluable materials, not elsewhere procurable, to 

 the future natural historian of the country. We are no 

 longer obliged to look to foreigners for information upon our 

 natural history, but on the other hand, learned foreign natu- 

 ralists are coming among us to learn the results of our 

 labors, and we are doing our part to pay back the long accu- 

 mulating debt of knowledge which we owe to the science of 

 Europe. By concentration we have learned to respect each 

 other, and to know the value of our own acquirements. We 

 have created an esprit du corps among our naturalists, and 

 have given the weight of combination, and of concert to the 

 interests of science. Our influence is thus widened, and our 

 usefulness increased, and by acting together we are able to 

 command for the science of the country acknowledgment and 

 respect. 



The Society has been conducted in the most liberal spirit, 

 and has been always open to the admission of every respect- 

 able person. Young men have been welcomed equally with 

 those of mature age and of acknowledged standing, and we 



