170 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



attracting public attention to New England as a desirable fruit 

 growing region. The improvement in the New England apple, 

 especially, in recent years, was well shown at this last exhibition 

 and the product now compares favorably with that of any section 

 of the country. 



In December a second exhibition of photographs of Chinese 

 vegetation and scenery was given in the large hall for one week. 

 It comprised some 400 views made by Mr. E. H. Wilson, in charge 

 of the Arnold Arboretum Botanical Exploration Expedition to 

 western China during the year 1910. The views were of unusual 

 excellence and attracted a large number of interested visitors. 



The annual course of lectures on horticultural subjects held on 

 Saturdays during January, February, and March proved one of 

 the most successful in recent years and the largely increased 

 attendance was due in great part to the change of hour from eleven 

 o'clock in the forenoon to two o'clock in the afternoon. So pro- 

 nounced was the approval of this change of a time-honored custom 

 of the Society that it may be regarded as established for the future. 



Full abstracts of most of these lectures, prepared in advance, 

 were printed in the Boston Evening Transcript of the day of the 

 lecture from which separates were struck off and distributed to 

 other papers throughout the country. By means of these reprints 

 and the revised and completed copy published in the Transactions 

 of the Society a wide circulation is obtained. 



The annual reports of the chairmen of the various committees 

 published in the Transactions contain detailed descriptions of the 

 exhibitions of the year and are valuable as records of the progress 

 of horticulture in this section of the country. The Society is 

 fortunate in having so many interested members of these com- 

 mittees who have a wide reputation as experts in their several lines. 



The membership record of the year includes the election of 21 

 life and annual members and 7 corresponding members, and the 

 death of 16 members and 5 corresponding members has been 

 reported. 



The publications of the year and the dates of issue have been as 

 follow : 



February 15. Schedule of Prizes and Exhibitions, 1911, pp. 

 1-44. 



