REPORT OF THE SECRETARY AND LIBRARIAN FOR 

 THE YEAR 1911. 



The Secretary and Librarian presents herewith his tenth annual 

 report covering the eighty-second year of the Society's existence. 



Ten exhibitions of the products of the garden, orchard, farm, 

 and greenhouse have been given, but owing to the unusual drought 

 of the spring and summer months some of them did not attain the 

 Society's standard of quality and quantity. 



It is probable, also, that the great exhibition of the Society of 

 American Florists and allied organizations, held in this city in 

 March, had the effect of lessening the interest in our flower shows, 

 both on the part of the public and the local exhibitors. 



A special feature of the Schedule for the year was an exclusive 

 exhibition of vegetables held in September in which the Boston 

 Market Gardeners' Association took an active interest not only 

 in the exhibits of the products of the market gardens of New 

 England but by contributing a substantial sum to the list of prizes 

 offered. It was without doubt the greatest exhibition of culinary 

 vegetables ever held in this country. 



In addition to our own exhibitions several others deserve men- 

 tion in the horticultural record of the year. 



In September the New England Dahlia Society held its third 

 public display of dahlias in our halls, furnishing a vivid illustration 

 of the progress and improvement made in recent years in the 

 cultivation of this ever popular flower. A noteworthy fact of this 

 exhibition was that although no money prizes were offered a great 

 display was secured. It should be stated, however, in this con- 

 nection, that the majority of the exhibitors were more or less 

 engaged in the commercial exploitation of the dahlia. 



In October the Second Biennial New England Fruit Show was 

 held in Horticultural Hall under the auspices of the Boston Cham- 

 ber of Commerce. It proved a most successful event and like the 

 first one held two years ago has exerted a widespread influence in 



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