REPORT 



OF THE 



COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION AND DISCUSSION. 



As the results of the work under the supervision of this Com- 

 mittee appear in the published Transactions of the Society, it 

 would seem scarcely necessary to make an annual report. Very 

 briefly, we may say, that the discussions have been maintained 

 with increasing interest. They have been practical in their character, 

 and there can be no doubt that this free interchange of experience 

 by practical men, will prove to be of great value to our members. 

 It seems to your Committee to be desirable to preserve this char- 

 acteristic ; to encourage discussions upon subjects connected with 

 the exhibitions ; to draw out the methods of our most successful 

 cultivators, and, in a generous way, to compare notes, with a 

 purpose to mutual help. But, while our main reliance is upon 

 such eminently practical methods as exhibitions, and discussions 

 connected with them, it is also well for us to consider whether we 

 should not, to some extent, seek for help from deeper scientific 

 investigation upon themes connected with our art. We are full}' 

 persuaded of the invaluable service which science has rendered to 

 horticulture. Our Society has wealth and position ; shall it not, to 

 some extent, become the patron of science, and encourage investiga- 

 tion in directions where information seems most needed? Indirectly, 

 this may be done, by establisliing occasional lectures upon scientific 

 subjects, and thus striving to make the Society the channel, through 

 its publications, of disseminating the results of the latest research. 

 All will admit the advantage of keeping abreast with modern dis- 

 covery, in every branch of our art ; and, if we add to this considera- 

 tion tlie honor and increased influence which will accrue to the 

 Society by thus publishing knowledge in our department, we shall 

 agree that we can scarcely pay too high a price for the attainment 

 of this end. It will therefore be the aim of the Committee during 

 the coming year, to secure an occasional lecture, more strictly 



