THIRD ANNIVERSARY, 1831. 229 



of Botany and Vegetable Physiology to the Society, 

 who said, 



" The prosperity of this Society hitherto, is, I believe, alto- 

 gether unexampled ; and its future prospects are bright and 

 exhilarating in the extreme. Warned by the deplorable embar- 

 rassments of some, and guided by the happy example of other hor- 

 ticultural establishments, the strong and sagacious minds which 

 have conducted the affairs of ours so felicitously to the present 

 moment will not be likely to err greatly in their management of 

 them hereafter. Should Heaven intercept some of them from see- 

 ing all their wise and tasteful plans perfectly accomplished, they 

 may at least enjoy the present confident assurance that posterity 

 will appreciate and be grateful for their labors. 



" Even in the short space since the foundation of this Society 

 its influence has become strongly marked, not only around the resi- 

 dences of its members, but throughout this section of the country. 

 Never before was there so much inquiry for ornamental trees, 

 and for the choicer kinds of fruits, among people of all classes. 

 Never before did gardening and rural affairs engross so large a 

 share of common conversation. . . . Never before was there an 

 opportunity for the interchange of such cheap but acceptable civili- 

 ties, as the offer of desirable plants, seeds, and scions of favorite 

 fruits, or the timely donation of a delicious melon or basket of 

 grapes." 



In regard to the fruits at the annual exhibition we 

 may quote the words of Nicholas Longworth of Cin- 

 cinnati, in a letter to President Dearborn: "I was at 

 your horticultural fair in Boston in September, 1831 ; 

 and, contrary to my expectation, I found your specimens 

 of fruits, in variety and size, surpassing those I had seen 

 in New York and Philadelphia. I little expected to see 

 foreign grapes succeeding with you in open culture ; but 

 those I saw in the gardens in the vicinity of Boston 

 could not be surpassed in any part of the Union." 



The winter of 1831 and 1832 was very destructive to 

 fruit trees ; and the season following was extremely cold 



