1863.] president's remarks. 61 



Winter and Spring — Mother, R. I. Greening, fYellow Bellflower, fJewett's 

 Red, Baldwin, ^Washington Royal, *Ladies' Sweeting, ^Northern Spy, Talmaa 

 Sweeting, Roxbury Russet. 



Pears. Early — Beurre Giffard, Rostiezer, Dearborn's Seedling, Bartlott, 

 St. Ghislain. 



Autumn — Belle Lucrative, Paradise d'Autorane, Flemish Beauty, Marie 

 Louise, L. B. de Jersey, Seckel, Fulton, Henry IV., Sheldon. 



Late Autumn and Winter — Beurre Bosc, Urbaniste, Beui-re d'Anjou, Dix, 

 Duehesse d'Arigouleme, Winter Nelis, Lawrence, Glout Morcean. 



Cherries. May Duke, Knight's Early Black, Black Tartarian, Black 

 Eagle, Downer's Late, American Amber. 



Grapes. Hartford Prolific, Diana, Concord, Delaware. 



Strawberries. Hovey's Seedling, Jenney's Seedling, Jenny Lind, Wilson's 

 Albany. 



In regard to other species of Fruits no decisions have yet been made ; but it is 

 to be hoped that the discussions will be resumed the coming winter, and con- 

 tinued until the merits of the whole circle of our Fruits shall have been 

 thoroughly investigated. 



The pecuniary condition of our affairs may be briefly stated. In the city 

 valuation for taxes, the Society's Hall is estimated this year at $15,500, which 

 is $2,625 less than the property had cost us when the Hall was first opened in 

 1852. Our Library of nearly three hundred bound volumes cannot be worth 

 less than .$1,000. Our plates and other furniture may be fairly set down at 

 $1,200 or $1,300 more. The present indebtedness of the Society is $8,700. 

 If, therefore, the real estate be worth to-day what it cost a dozen years ago, the 

 property belonging to this Association, over and above the debt, may be esti- 

 mated at nearly $12,000. W^ere you to deem it advisable to effect the change, 

 it is believed you might dispose of your real estate, pay your entire debt, and, 

 retaining your furniture and Library, have left in your Treasurer's hands some 

 nine or ten thousand dollars. Such a step, however, should not be taken with- 

 out grave deliberation. We are receiving a rent of §1,500 a year for this 

 building, and the uses which we make of it for our Library and Exhibitions 

 cost us nothing at all. There is wisdom in the proverb which teaches to " let 

 well enough alone." 



Were I to propose any new measures on the present occasion, I would 

 respectfully suggest such a thorough revision of the Society's schedule of pre- 

 miums that encouragement should be offered hereafter only to the cultivation of 

 ichai is, or j)ronuses to he, trxdy valuable. But the great desideratum, at the 

 present time, is to increase the number of the members of the association. 

 The Society has already accomplished a good work ; but of a great deal more 

 remaining to be done, the progress would be much more rapid, as the useful- 



* Varieties reeommended as "promising well." 



f Varieties recommended for "amateur cultivation." 



