Boston, October 1, 1831. 



"""^I had the honor, this day, at Uie annual meeting of the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society to move, that the thanks of the same be communicated to you for the interestmg 

 and acceptable Discourse delivered by you at the celebration of the Festival, on the 2l3t 

 ult., and that you be requested to furnish a copy for publication, which was unanimously 



^%^be Committee, who had the pleasure to invite you to the performance of the duty you so 

 ably performed, are charged with the execution of the vote of the Society ; and, in pursu- 

 ance of the same, I have now to request that you will, at as early a day as your con- 

 venience permits, favor me with a copy of the Discourse, that it may be published. 



A compliance with this request, I take leave to assure you, wUl afford the members of 

 the Society much pleasure, and renew, to those who heard it, the gratification they eiyoyed 

 on the occasion, and afford, to those who did not, a corresponding degree of satisfaction. 

 With the sincerest personal regard, 

 I am, dear Sir, 



Your very obedient servant, 



ZEBEDEE COOK, Jr., Chairman. 



Dr. M. a. Ward. 



Salem, October 5, 1831. 



"''ihe' Discourse, which you have been pleased to compliment so highly as to request a 

 copy for the press, was prepared without the slightest reference to such a purpose ; and, as 

 s intimated in th introduction to it, is little else than a compilation from the writings of 

 "whose sentiments, and whose language I scrupled not to adopt whenever they 

 v^eelind better adapted to my purpose, than the crude lucubrations of my own mnd. 

 CoTscious of a liability to be convicted of plagiarism in almost every ^^^^'^J^^lZ 

 sent that it should be published accompanied by this -'^^^'^l'^''^^'^' ^'"^''^^^^ 

 may be shielded from the imputation of being accessory to the palming off upon the public, 

 as native fruit, that which has been derived from a foreign soil. 



rm the opinion of the Committee, the publication of such a composition wUl many 

 way promote the objects of the Society, or contribute to the gratification of its members 



Tarn not sure, that ihe fear of acquiring no credit by '^^ '>-^^\\'^ ^^''^''^^''ZIZ 

 my withholding a copy of it from your service ; therefore, it is herewith submitted to be 

 disposed of at your discretion. 



With much respect, 



Your obedient servant. 



MALTHUS A. WARD. 



Z. Cook, Jr. Esq., Chairman 

 of the Committee Mass. Horticultural Societif. 



