XLII EOYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA. 



Stewart, Alfred Sandham, E. A. Meredith, Professor Goldwin Smith, Dr. J. Harper, Fred. C. 

 Wurtele, etc. 



During the past year one of our most esteemed ex-presidents. Professor James Douglas, now a 

 resident in the United States, and who kindly acted as our delegate to Spain duiing the festivities 

 organized there to celebrate the discovery of America, gave us a most delightful account, accomp:inied 

 with illustrations, of his trip, touching, amongst other things, upon the voyages of Columbus, 

 Magellan and others, navigators of the 16th century. 



The Honoui'able Mr. Joly de Lotbinière was good enough to favour us with a very useful paper on 

 the most rapid and economical mode of giowing forest trees, exhibiting to his audience specimens of 

 black walimt and other trees, the produce of his own plantation, on his manor property at Pointe 

 Platon. 



The Eeverend Dr. Norman, the Dean of Quebec's paper on Julius Csesar, was also very highlj^ 

 appreciated. 



On perusing the transactions of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, disseminated 

 now over the whole world, it must be admitted that the societj' has not been recieant to the useful 

 and scientific mission which its illustrious founders contemplated. 



So well satisfied were the public of the advantages derived from the labours of the society that up 

 to the last two years the government pi'0]50sed and the legislature thought tit to vote an annual grant 

 for the purpose of enabling the society to publish and disseminate the ti-ansactions of the society, 

 and exchange them with those of similar societies of other countries. 



But this brilliant vision of the past and its course of desired imjMOvement of the present must 

 now, we fear, come to an end, that is to say, so far as the publications are concerned, if, unfortunateh', 

 our society cannot reckon anj^ longer upon the treasury of the province of Quebec for this sustenta- 

 tion ; or unless the large and benevolent spirit of liberality prevailing among the merchant ])rince8 of 

 Montreal finds a similar echo in the heart and mind of some of the wealthy citizens of Quebec, in 

 order to perpetuate the noble end of the society. 



It is not out of place to mention that in the past, for three-quarters of a century, the society, tlie 

 oldest of its kind in Canada, has been an honour and a credit to the city of Quebec, not only through- 

 out Canada but also abroad. 



It is to be sincerely hoped that the provincial government may find means to continue the small 

 subsidy hitherto extended to our society, and to preserve the continuity of printed records, so in- 

 tei-esting alike to strangers and citizens desirous of maintaining the historical and literary traditions 

 of this ancient province. 



It is to be regretted that, owing to various causes, the number of the members of our society' has 

 not sufficiently increased to become independent of extraneous support. 



But at the same time it must be admitted that the intellectual progress of the city of Quebec is 

 on the increase, for we see that a public library, in addition to our own, is to be created for St. 

 Roch's suburb, a monument which is due to the public spirit and spontaneous liberality of a few of 

 its prominent citizens and self made men, among whom deserve to be mentioned Mr. Laliberlé, the 

 most extensive fui'ricr trader in the Dominion ; Mr. Paquet, the large dry goods merchant, and Mr. 

 Eochette, an enterprising manufacturer. 



The society has to apologize to the other sister societies for being unable, for the causes stated, 

 to exchange this year their usual publications. 



XV.— From The Botanical Club of Canada, through A. H. Mackay, B.A., B.Sc, LL.D. 



I beg leave to present the following summary of the work of the club throughout the Dominion 

 during the past year, 1893-94, and of its objects and present constitution. 



