68 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1876. 



" earliest benefactor, and suspend the same in Horticultural Hall." 

 Through the kindness of Mrs. Hester Wetherell, the Committee were 

 enabled to make use of a portrait of Mr. Waldo, in her possession, 

 which, if not all that might be desired by those familiar with the benign 

 features of the deceased philanthropist, served as a sufficient groundwork 

 for the very satisfactory work of art that you now behold. Many of 

 you reahze that, but for his generous gift, you would scarcely have pos- 

 sessed this valuable property, this Horticultural Library, Hall, and the 

 Furniture indispensable to the use of the latter. For it was bestowed in the 

 infancy of the Society, when a friend in need was a friend indeed. But 

 few of you know, possibly, that he took a deep interest in the formation 

 of the Society, recommending it when others hesitated, and affording a 

 hearty cooperation in aid of the first timid steps. His portrait could no- 

 where be more at home than here iu this Hall of Flora. 



It is my earnest trust that you will continue the practice of perpetu- 

 ating the memory of our benefactors, so happily inaugurated Our first 

 President would fitly grace a vacant panel with his marked lineaments. 

 Nor let us object, should any of those who have followed him, in course, 

 anticipate the action of the Trustees ; and, of their own accord and mu- 

 nificence, assume their proper representation upon these walls. 



At a meeting of the Trustees, upon the 12th day of February, A. 

 D., 1862, it was voted to remove the Library from the place where it had 

 been so long accommodated, and to locate it permanentl}^ in Horticul- 

 tural Hall. In his Annual Report for the year, dated January 8th, A. D., 

 1863, your Secretary made the following statement : 



'^ Simultaneous with the removal of the Library and its permanent lo- 

 " cation in the Hall of the Society, a system of voluntary Weekly Exhibi- 

 " tions of Flowers and Fruits was commenced, which has been continued 

 " with marked success to the present day. These Exhibitions, dating 

 " from the 27th day of February, 1862, sometimes rendered instructive 

 "by discussions and by the statement of matured experience, were 

 " almost invariably illustrated by the display and actual trial of a great 

 *' variety of Fruits, whether of the better-known sorts, or of the newer 

 " and rarer species. Our larger cultivators, from their well-stocked green- 

 *' houses, early afforded lavish exhibitions. A Report which the Secre- 

 *' tary, by some happy chance, was inspired to prepare for the press, first 

 " attracted public attention ; and the visits of those not members, thus 

 *' induced, grew more constant with the steadily augmenting value of the 

 " Exhibitions." 



The interest thus* awakened was never suffered to subside. For a peri- 

 od of fifteen years, upon each recurring Thursday, were the members of 



