MEETINGS FOE DISCUSSION IN 1871. 373 



had few equals, and his collection of native plants was 

 one of the most complete. The lawns were orna- 

 mented with beautiful specimens of the magnolia, 

 cut-leaved beech, cut-leaved weeping birch, and vari- 

 ous species of Picea, Pinus, and other evergreens. 

 The committee commented on the arrangement of the 

 trees and shrubs, and on the laying out of the grounds, 

 and, regarding the progress made in their embellishment 

 and improvement, awarded to Mr. Eand the largest 

 Hunnewell prize. 



We have spoken of the meetings held early in 1853, 

 for the purpose of exchanging ideas on practical points 

 in horticulture. Nothing further was done in this 

 direction until President Strong, in his first annual 

 address, on the 7th of January, 1871, after reviewing 

 the work accomplished by the Society, suggested various 

 means of increasing its usefulness, among which were 

 the reading of papers and holding discussions on horti- 

 cultural subjects. As the result of this suggestion, 

 two meetings were held in the following summer, the 

 first on the 21st of June, the second day of the rose 

 and strawberry show, when an interesting discussion 

 on the culture of strawberries took place. The second 

 was on the 15th of July, which was prize d'ay for sum- 

 mer lilies, and was appropriately devoted to the culture 

 and hybridization of the lily. 



At the last meeting in the year 1871, the Society 

 protested, in the name of horticulture, and also as tax- 

 payers whose property would be thereby injured, against 

 the indiscriminate removal of the venerable English 

 elms known as the " Paddock Elms," opposite the 

 building of/ the Society on Tremont Street, which had 

 been ordered by the Board of Aldermen ; and appointed 



