26 



WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



[1865. 



profuse entries crowd the columns of our vegetable book, states that it is one of 

 the most delicious varieties that he ever ate. He adds that, for fecundity, he 

 never met with its equal. Your Secretary grew the weight of two hundred and 

 fifty pounds (250 lbs.) upon a patch of ground, by measurement, once and a 

 half times the area ot this room. For pies, — nothing equals it but a robin, — 

 scarcely a vegetable. But it still continues an unsettled question to what ex- 

 tent, if at all, it will supplant other and favorite varieties. This is certain, that 

 no one need undertake its culture, with the least hope of success, who is not pi'e- 

 pared to stail the young plants in the house. When longer acclimated, a change 

 of habit may render this precaution unnecessary. 



The accession to our list of .MiiMiiKiis, during the ten months which constitute 

 this otlicial year, has been unprecedentedly large. While it would be too much 

 to expect a continuance of such fortune in future, it is scarcely hazardous to 

 assert that a display of energy and mutual co-operation, similar to that of which 

 the results are before you, will at least merit, should it foil to achieve, a corres- 

 ponding reward. The usual comparative table is appended : 



In 1861 1 



In 1S62 19 



In 1S63 42 



In 1864 49 



In 1865 106 



The " Traasactioas''' of tlie Society from 1857 to 1864, inclusive, so far as 

 any record of them could be found, have been published, under your instructions. 

 The cost of publication was enhanced by the increased price of paper and the 

 unexpectedly large store of material exhumed from the files of the local news- 

 papers. But it IS believed that the Society will not have cause to regret the 

 issue from the satisfaction expressed by all who have become possessed of it, 

 and the additional fact that many who have lately joined our ranks admitted that 

 a chief inducement for them to do so was derived from the assurance of thereby 

 obtaining this publication. Its absolute value is not so much the positive 

 knowledge therein contained, as the pregnant hints towards its attainment. The 

 grateful acknowledgments of the Society are due to Messrs. Grout & Bigelow, 

 of the city of Worcester, who kindly volunteered to take charge of the distribu- 

 tion, and have discharged their self-imposed task with equal patience and en- 

 ergy. 



The Library is in good condition. Its increase is unavoidably moderate, but 

 it is believed to keep pace with the requirements of the Society. The volumes, 

 although much circulated and consulted, attest that careful use which might be 

 predicated of horticulturists. A law of the United States exempts from duty 

 all books and periodicals that ai-e designed to be placed in public libraries. This 

 provision has been availed of by your Librarian, who has been enabled, through 

 the courtesy of Mr. Baker, of the Free City Library, to import the few French 

 and English works that we require, at a material saving. 



According to custom, a comparative statement is herewith furnished of the 

 number ot volumes taken out of the library during the two (2) years imme- 

 diately preceding its transfer to its present location ; the three (3) years that 



