124 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



his name withheld, had given to the Society $300 to be 

 disposed of in premiums. This amount was appropri- 

 ated in twenty special prizes for fruit, of $5 each, one 

 third of the whole being awarded in each of the years 

 1846, 1847, and 1848. The time which has elapsed 

 since this gift was made allows the statement that the 

 donor was John P. Gushing of Watertown (now Bel- 

 mont), a lover and munificent patron of horticulture. 



On the 27th of February, John A. Lowell addressed 

 to the Society a note, in which he expressed his regret, 

 that, from his avocations, he could not actively co-ope- 

 rate with it in its successful exertions, which he had 

 observed with much interest, to perfect the culture of 

 flowers and fruit, and to diffuse through our State a 

 knowledge of useful and ornamental gardening. Desir- 

 ing, however, to promote its object, he sent $1,000, 

 which he wished to have invested, and the income to be 

 applied as the Society might determine. The Society 

 voted that the interest of this fund should be awarded 

 in medals, to be called the " Lowell Medals." 



On the 26th of August, the Hon. Theodore Lyman 

 sent $1,000, which he wished to have "invested in a 

 permanent manner, and the proceeds of the investment 

 to be appropriated in the shape of prizes for the 

 encouragement of the growth of such kind or kinds 

 of fruit as the government of the Society might deem 

 advisable." At his decease, which occurred on the 18th 

 of July, 1849, Mr. Lyman left to the Society $10,000, 

 the largest gift it has ever received. To commemorate 

 these gifts a marble bust of Mr. Lyman, by Dexter, was 

 procured by the Society, and placed in the hall. 



April 3, 1847, a communication was received from 

 Josiah Bradlee of Boston, accompanied with his check 



