LIBRARY committee's REPORT. 67 



One circumstance which has done much to cast the Library into the 

 shade, and impair its usefulness, was the condition of the Library room. 



A dark, back room, fronting on an obscure, ill-lighted court, where often, 

 at noon day, it was necessary to light the gas to read ordinary print, was 

 all the place for the Library of the Society. 



No wonder the members felt indisposed to procure expensive books, or 

 to make donations, when they must be buried in darkness, and often 

 exposed to injury from mould and damp. Many times had efforts been 

 made, of late years, for some change ; but a fondness for that old room 

 lingered in tlie hearts of many of our oldest and most respected members, 

 so that, while the Hall was sufficient to accommodate our Exhibitions, there 

 was an unwillingness to press the proposition for a change. 



But the time at last came when the Hall was too small for our Weekly 

 Shows. This was first evident during the Rose Show in June, 1858, when 

 bushels of flowers were taken away, because there was no room to place 

 stands for their reception. During the succeeding eighteen months this 

 occurred again and again, till it was evident to all a change was necessary, 

 and, without opposition, Committees were appointed to dispose of our old 

 Hall, and to procure better accommodations for the Society. A sale of the 

 Society's property was most advantageously made, and received the sanc- 

 tion of the Society, with but one dissenting vote. 



Our present beautiful and convenient rooms were procured, when it be- 

 came evident to all that our Library was not in a state befitting the stand- 

 ing and position of the Society. 



At an early day in January last a meeting of the Library Committee was 

 held " to examine into the state of the Library, and to ascertain what was 

 necessary to improve its condition, and to increase its usefulness." 



This meeting was called at an early hour, and continued until late at 

 night. The books were all taken from the shelves, re-arranged, a record 

 of all missing volumes taken, and some insight gained into the condition of 

 the Library. 



Regular meetings of the Library Committee were held, which were fully 

 attended, until the time of the Society's removal to the new Hall, when 

 tlie books were arranged in neat and convenient cases, where they are an 

 ornament to the Library-room, and show that our Society is by no means 

 insensible to this most important means for the improvement and instruc- 

 tion of its members. 



At the first meeting of the Committee it was decided to spend a portion 

 of the Library appropriation in the establishment and maintenance of a 

 Reading Room for the use of members of the Society. 



A circular was accordingly sent to the editor of every horticultural or 

 agricultural paper or periodical, requesting him to forward to a given 

 address a copy of his publication, with terms of subscription. 



Answers were very generally received, and from the mass of matter 

 thus accumulated your Committee selected those papers and periodicals 

 which seemed most ably conducted, and best suited to the wants of the 

 Society. 



