REPORT 



OF THE 



LIBRARY COMMITTEE 



By EDWARD S. RAND, Jr., Chairman. 



The steady growth of the Library has continued during the past 

 3^ear. Many new and valuable books have been added, some of 

 which have for years been on the list of desiderata. 



The creation of a horticultural library is not the work of a few 

 years, nor can it be accomplished without a liberal expenditure of 

 money. For many years your Committee have labored assiduously 

 to make the Library of this Society the most complete horticultural 

 library in the country. It has been a work requiring untiring 

 attention, a knowledge of the value of books, and a constant 

 acquaintance with the sales of libraries on both sides of the 

 Atlantic. 



Botanical books are printed in small editions, soon go out of 

 print, and are absorbed by collections, and then rarely come to 

 sale ; thus, the watching of the market to secure choice books as 

 they ma}^, from time to time, be offered for sale, is a most 

 important duty of the Committee. 



From the small beginnings of the year 1856, when the Library 

 was contained in one case, and was composed of books of but 

 little value, up to 1869, the growth of the Library, though steady, 

 was not rapid. During those years the funds at the disposal of 

 the Committee were not sufficiently large to allow the purchase of 

 ver^^ expensive works, and it was deemed advisable to add to the 

 library cultural works, few of which were, individually, of great 

 pecuniar}' value. By the addition of these, however, the usefulness 

 of the librar}' was greatlj^ increased, and each year the members of 

 the Society more fully appreciated and availed themselves of its 

 advantages. 



