ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT WILLIAM GRAY, JR. 9 



by many a hard experience, some of the habits of that old New 

 England thrift, so much out of fashion of late. With us there has 

 been a reduction of salaries, not because the services were worth 

 the less, but because we could not pay the old rates. It has been 

 accepted cheerfully b}' those most concerned, and we shall all 

 rejoice when the time comes for restoring them to their old basis . 

 The Schedule of Frizes has been thoroughly revised, and a consider- 

 able saving made in the amount offered for the coming j^ear. We 

 should remember how bountiful our Societj' has been in this respect 

 wlien it had the means. The schedule of prizes for 1830 was 

 $188, this has been increased from 3'ear to 3'earwith our prosperity, 

 until in 1876 the amount was $6,800. For 1878 the amount is 

 $4,575. Let us all look to it that there be no falling oft' in the ex- 

 hibitions. It should be no question of dollars and cents ; it is a 

 question of the honor of our Societ}-, which I trust will be upheld 

 by its sons and daughters should it become necessary' to suspend 

 the prize list altogether. 



We owe a debt here which can never be repaid ; for a noble 

 library, which few, as individuals, could afford to own ; the oppor- 

 tunity week by week of seeing so much that is rare and beautiful in 

 fruits and flowers ; the meeting on common ground with those from 

 every walk in life, brought together b}" a common love of Nature. 

 And to many, perhaps, the lessons learned here have developed 

 tastes which have been the sources of the purest and highest happi- 

 ness of their lives. 



I can feel no misgiving as to the future, if we are but true to 

 ourselves. , Let us consider what to-day is necessar3^ to success in 

 any department of human affairs. I should sum it all up by sajdng 

 that to do one thing and that well — better if possible than any one 

 else — in other words, to have a specialty' and stand or fall by our 

 success in that. This New England of ours is growing old ; her 

 fields, never rich, are less productive than ever ; her sons do not 

 take kindly to a farmer's life ; 3'ou will see that the tide of popula- 

 tion is steadily setting towards the large cities and manufacturing 

 centres. This may not be an unmixed evil, but, unless the old out- 

 of-door life is replaced by some taste or pursuit which shall relax 

 the constant strain imposed by the modern sj^stem of society, it 

 seems to me that New England has seen her best daj's. Such re^ 

 laxation is within reach of us all, and is probabl}' practised daily 

 by all here. 

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