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not only of all who hear me, but of all who know 

 him, when I express the best wishes for his health 

 and happiness. Wherever he may go, though no 

 longer among us, he will never cease to be of us. 



But whatever may have been the progress of 

 Horticulture in Massachusetts, previous to the for- 

 mation of this Society, it was still rather a solitary 

 than a social pursuit. Every one pursued his own 

 course, — neither acquainted, to any great degree, 

 with the improvements of his neighbor, nor assisted 

 by his advice, nor excited by his success. Horticul- 

 ture had its own charms to recommend it, and these 

 were many and various, but its cause wanted all that 

 aid, which is derived from the union of numbers, 

 deeply interested, in the pursuit of a common and 

 favorite object. Our society was established to rem- 

 edy this important disadvantage, to bring the friends 

 of Horticulture into close contact, to afford induce- 

 ments for that social interchange of sentiment, from 

 which the mind gains new light, and the feelings 

 new warmth ; to diffuse knowledge, to correct error, 

 and to call into action those master-spirits of the 

 human mind, the spirit of emulation, and the spirit of 

 improvement. 



Of the merits of the Society, we leave the public 

 to judge. Its success has surpassed the expectations 

 of its most sanguine members. Those who wish to 

 know the extent of that success, are referred to our 

 nurseries, our markets, and our fruit-stores. In the 

 retrospect of our progress, we ought not to forget, 

 how much our hands have been strengthened, and 

 our spirits cheered, by the friendly encouragement 

 3 



