1899.] TRANSACTIONS. 9 



answered every demand for scions, of whatever variety that 

 have been called for, and my thanks are due to each member 

 of the Society who has so generously and gratuitously respon- 

 ded to my request for scions. 



Whenever I have been solicited to furnish the children with 

 seeds and plants in a small way I have done so, and on two 

 occasions I have spoken to the school children on the matter of 

 plants and their culture ; they were very attentive and asked 

 questions, which I did my best to answer. The children prom- 

 ised to exhibit such flowers as they grew, but with one or two 

 exceptions they have failed to respond. I would suggest that 

 during the winter months the boys, or such of them as so de- 

 sire, be permitted to come to the Hall and be taught to graft 

 and bud trees, and that the girls be shown how to arrange 

 flowers and perhaps be taught some of the methods of caring 

 properly for flowering plants : and perhaps on stated days have 

 those from some one of the public schools, and give each of the 

 pupils in such grades as are capable of understanding the 

 matter instruction as outlined above. In this way we would 

 not have so many at one time, but we could properly instruct 

 them and give them practical lessons in such branches of horti- 

 culture as would be profitable to them in later years. 



The Worcester County Market Gardeners' Association, the 

 Worcester County Bee Keepers' Association and Massachusetts 

 Fruit Growers' Association have held their meetings in our 

 rooms, at which valuable papers have been read, followed by 

 discussion. These meetings have been open to any one inter- 

 ested. All have tendered a vote of thanks for our hospitality. 

 Our own winter meetings have proved interesting and were 

 largely attended. As the essays are in print, further comment 

 is unnecessary. 



The annual meeting of the Society was held Wednesday, 

 November 2, 1898. The meeting was called to order at 10 

 o'clock A. M. ; President O. B. Hadwen presiding. 



The records of the last annual meeting were read and 

 approved. 



