160 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In the year 1869, by the liberality of Ex-President Josiah 

 Stickney, whose decease the Societ}- has, the past year, been 

 called upon to mourn, the funds in the hands of the Committee were 

 so increased as to admit of the purchase, from time to time, of manj' 

 rare and very expensive works. The possession of such volumes as 

 Sibthorp's Flora Grseca, Flora Danica, Redoute's Liliacees, Bate- 

 man's Orchidacese of Mexico and Guatemala, Burj'^'s Hexandrian 

 Plants, Wallich's Plantue Asiatictti, Roxburgh's Flora Indica, and 

 Roxburgh's Coromandel Plants, is, of itself, sufficient to give 

 importance to the library. And when we look over the Catalogue 

 and see the titles of hundreds of books, of which probably the 

 only copy in this countr}^ is found in our library, the Society has 

 great cause for congratulation. Already, ours is the most complete 

 and valuable horticultural librar}" in the countr}', and the past year 

 has added largely to its treasures, as will be seen by a perusal of 

 the lists annexed to this report. 



Your Committee regret that the}^ have been able to add so few 

 works on Pomolog3^ There are comparatively few illustrated works 

 on fruit ; all that were attainable have been purchased, and all 

 cultural works on this subject are upon the library shelves. Your 

 Committee would ask members of the Society to call attention to 

 an}" deficienc}' of the library in this branch of horticulture ; or, in 

 fact, upon any subject connected with horticulture. 



The want of room for the library is seriously felt ; and, although 

 additional space has been provided, it cannot be many years before 

 a reconstruction of the librar}' room will be imperativel}' demanded. 

 Accommodations are greatly needed for pamphlets, of which the 

 library contains a very valuable collection, but which, in their 

 present condition are not available for ready reference. The 

 want of a catalogue, arranged on slips, as in use in all large 

 libraries, is beginning to be felt. 



Your Committee would report that the appropriation of the 

 Society has been chiefl}'- expended for periodicals and binding, and 

 would ask an appropriation of the same amount ($300) for the 

 3^ear 1877. The income of the Stickney Fund has been wholly 

 expended in the purchase of rare books. Some valuable works 

 have been presented to the library-, among which your Committee 

 would especially mention two copies of Les Promenades de Paris, 

 par A. Alphand, Paris, 1868, a magnificent work, respectively given 

 l)y William Gray, Jr., and Francis L. Lee. 



