1876.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. 7^ 



conceal the myriad rocks and stumps which, far from disfiguring, would 

 then beautify the landscape. 



Your Secretary is happy to congratulate you upon the success of the 

 late Annual Autumnal Exhibition. The display was of unusual ex- 

 cellence in many departments, and in but few was inferiority unpleas- 

 antly evident. The arrangement of the Plants was in the happiest taste, 

 being charmingly adapted to the form of the Hall of Pomona, and at the 

 same time suiting the convenience of visitors. And these latter, by the 

 way, were especially numerous. Prominent among them was His Excel- 

 lency Gov. Rice, who was profuse of compliment, lemarking with evi- 

 dent sincerity that he was wholly unaware that Worcester County could 

 hold such an exhibition, and that he should have been sorry indeed had 

 he failed to see it. Mr. A W. Cheever of the N. E Farmer, writes con- 

 cerning it, that '• Having an hour to spare on Thursday evening, we took 

 " a look at the bountiful collection of fruits and vegetables, and the 

 " beautiful display of flowers and green-house plants. Of the latter,^^,the 

 " President, Mr. Merritield, had a large collection on the tables, including 

 " man}^ that are both rare and beautiful. The arrangement of ihe fruits 

 " on the tables is a new one to us, but we believe is being adopted by 

 " other Societies. Xo premiums are offered for best collections, but each 

 " variety of fruit or flower is shown by itself, where the eye can, at a 

 " glance, see which are the most superior. This gives the visitor a much 

 " better opportunity to study varieties, than when they are scattered all 

 " over the Hall. 



" The show of Apples is said to be one of the finest ever made by the 

 " Society. There are some two hundred plates shown by about forty ex- 

 " hibitors. Of Pears, tbere were three hundred plates, from over fifty 

 " exhibitors, but of Quinces, there were but four plates shown. This 

 " Fruit, which was formerly as cheap as Apples, seems yearly to grow 

 " more and more difficult to cultivate successfully, and the few bushels 

 " which are now found m our markets, bring quite extravagant prices. 

 " The exhibition of flowers was beautiful, but far beyond our power of 

 " description. 



" The Horticultural Society during its long perio . of existence, has 

 *' done a vast amount of good to the people of Worcester and the sur- 

 " rounding towns, by creating or stimulating a taste for improving and 

 " beautifying the homesteads and public grounds in and around the City, 

 " It has also encouraged the culture of Fruit and Flowers to an incalcu- 

 " lable degree, but there is still work enough ahead, to require its influ- 

 " ence for many a year yet to come. The great mass of people have 

 " hardly, as yet, begun to realize the value of choice Fruits as a constant 

 " accompaniment to the family table, or of the refining influence which 



