PROCEEDINGS. 143 



public, can only be decided by the experiment. Althoiiirh the Hall of the Society may 

 not be suliiciently ample, to allow of a suitable arrangement of Plants and Decorations, if 

 room is reserved for all the articles that may be sent to the exhibition, yet if only such 

 Fruits are placed upon the table, as are, from their novelty or superiority, objects of interest, 

 or worthy of notice, sulHcient space can probably be provided therein, and in the Store 

 under the Hall, — the use of which, for the occasion, has been most liberally tendered by 

 its proprietor, for the purposes of the Society. 



But, independent of the expense attending it, there is another inconvenience, that should 

 not be overlooked, or too lightly estimated, that may accompany the having of the Annual 

 Exhibition under a tent; and that is, the exposure to which the Committees, required to be 

 in attendance, may be subjected, and the serious risk of injury to health arising therefrom 

 at a season of the year to which our autumnal diseases are incident, — particularly if the 

 weather shouhl be unpropitious ; a contingency, that may, not improbably, occur, and that 

 would deprive the Society, should it happen, of the expected advantages arising from an 

 increase of visitors. In answer to objections of this character, it is denied that any undue 

 exposure need be incurred ; that all proper protection can be afforded, and needed 

 accommodations provided ; and that, though storms may occur, they should not be 

 anticipated. 



Your Committee learn, from inquiry, that the expense attending the holding of the 

 Exhibition in any of the larger halls in the city, would be so great, as to render it wliolly 

 inexpedient. A tent, as they are informed, is now in process of construction, two hundred 

 and fifty feet long, and one hundred and fifty feet wide, for Mr. John Wright, the cost of 

 which will be about one thousand five hundred dollars, and that it will be completed ia a 

 short time, and that it is the intention of that gentleman, to let it for such purposes as it may 

 be required for. The sum to be charged for the use of the tent, is not yet decided on ; but 

 would not, probably, for the time the Society would wish it, exceed one hundred and 

 twentyfive dollars. The Messrs. Hovey have the charge of the Public Garden, the only 

 place adapted to an exhibition of the character referred to ; it has been, heretofore, let by 

 them, on an occasion somewhat similar, for one-fourth of the net receipts of the exhibition, 

 and could be obtained for the Society, if they desire it, on terms not less favorable. 



As this subject is one about which entire unanimity of opinion does not, at present, exist, 

 and as no exigency requires an immediate decision with respect to if. >our Committee are 

 of opinion, that, with their recommendation of its favorable consideration, it had better be 

 referred to the Committee of Arrangements, with authority to take such measures, in 

 relation to it, as they may deem expedient. Several months must elapse, before the 

 occasion contemplated will arrive; and during that time, that Committee will be able to 

 form some opinion, as to the space that will be required to be provided for the Exhibition ; 

 will be able to inform themselves, in many particulars, as to the expense attending the 

 having it under a tent, of which your Committee are now uninformed ; will probably have 

 an opportunity to see the tent when erected, and thus be qualified to form a more correct 

 judgment than can now be arrived at, with respect to the expediency of the proposed 

 measure. 



One other matter, that, though foreign to the objects of their original appointment, 

 has been referred to them by a vote of the Society, remains to be considered by jour 

 Committee ; and that is, the frequency and manner of holding the regular Exhibitions of 

 the Society for the ensuing seasons. Heretofore, it has been usual to have an Exhibifion, 

 by the Society, on every Saturday through the year; these Exhibitions being held, during 

 the Summer, in the Hall of the Society, and at other seasons, in the Library Room. To 

 these weekly exhibitions, the public were originally admitted without charge ; but as some 

 inconvenience was supposed to have resulted from this course, recently, a small admission fee 



