TRANSACTIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 41 



since he had been elected a member of the Horticultural Society, during 

 which period he had labored with nearly all its practical and working men ; 

 and now, after two apprenticeships, he was ready, he said, to enter into 

 another engagement for fourteen years more. Fourteen years! He re- 

 called it ; he was ready to enter into an engagement for life, and should the 

 future intercourse of the members be as pleasant as the past has been, it 

 would prove to be a red letter day from the beginning to the end. Mr. 

 Walker next referred to the works of the Horticultural Society. <' Permit 

 me to ask," he said, " what have we done ? and, what remains to be done .<"' 

 Then, replying himself to the queries, he observed, " we have nearly 

 changed the face of the country, and have seen the products of Flora and 

 Pomona, which ten years ago could have been stowed in a two-horse om- 

 nibus, now filling a hall 100 feet by 45 ! and yet this is only the beginning 

 of the Horticultural Society ! Other influences were to come, he said, 

 from the love of fruit and flowers, in the full exercise of that moral power, 

 which literally makes the desert to bloom as the rose. To hasten this 

 happy period, the speaker asked, 'what have we to do?' and then gave 

 this forcible answer, — ' we have to continue that oneness of action and pur- 

 pose, which has been our morning and evening star, and, with the aid of 

 our sister societies, actuated by the same desire, we shall accomplish mvch, 

 if not all, that we have to do.' " In conclusion, the Chairman proposed : — 



The heallh, happiness, and prosperity of the members of the Massachu- 

 setts Horticultural Society, individually and collectively. 



Mr. C. M. Hovey rose to ofler some remarks. He read an account of 

 the first exhibition ever made by the Society, and entered into a compari- 

 son of the fruits exhibited then and those shown the present year. He 

 also made some remarks relative to the introduction to notice of our Ameri- 

 can varieties of fruits, particularly of pears. It was through the means of 

 the Society that the Andrews, Gushing, Harvard, Clap, Dix, Fulton, and 

 many others were brought before the public. BIr. Hovey hoped the supe- 

 riority of these fruits, which were accidental varieties, would induce culti- 

 vators to make attempts to raise fruits on scientific principles. He con- 

 cluded by offering a sentiment, — 



Native Fruits, — Our woods and pastures have already yielded us a 

 great number of fine varieties. The skill of our cultivators is only want- 

 ing, to make us dependent upon no other clime for the most delicious fruits. 



The following volunteer sentiments were offered by the members or read 

 from the Chair : — 



Fruits and Flowers, — The jewelry and poetry of Nature ; the gems of 

 the Orchard, and the alphabet of Angels. 



The Liberality of Culture, — That encouragement to the earth, with- 

 out which agriculture is not a science. The sure incentive towards fame 

 and fortune. 



6 



