64 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



That peculiar feature in the organization of the Soci- 

 ety, the " Council," copied from the London Horticul- 

 tural Society by the New York as well as the Massa- 

 chusetts Society, deserves a moment's notice ; for almost 

 all the general management of the property and busi- 

 ness in the intervals between the stated meetings of the 

 Society was delegated to it. By the original constitu- 

 tion and by-laws all papers or communications were to 

 be referred to the Council ; all rewards to such members 

 as had advanced the objects of the Society, and all pre- 

 miums for new inventions or discoveries in horticulture, 

 or for the growth of new or excellent fruits, flowers, or 

 vegetables, were to be awarded by it ; and it was its duty 

 before every election to recommend a list of persons as 

 officers of the Society for the ensuing year. By an 

 amendment to the constitution, adopted in June, 1830, 

 the duty of electing all members, honorary and corre- 

 sponding, as well as ordinary, who had previously been 

 chosen at the stated meetings of the Society, was de- 

 volved upon the Council. This does not appear to have 

 worked well ; for in a few months we find members 

 chosen by the Society, and others by the Council ; but 

 the provision was not formally changed until 1834. 

 The Council was authorized to meet at such times and 

 places as it might deem expedient, and to establish by- 

 laws and regulations for its government, subject to the 

 approval of the Society ; and the corresponding secretary 

 was charged with the duty of keeping a record of its 

 meetings. A portion of these records are printed in 

 an appendix to the Transactions of the Society for 

 1870. The object of conferring such powers upon this 

 body was, apparently, to avoid the necessity of frequent 

 general meetings of the Society when travelling was 



