1865.] president's address. 5 



years had not been preserved with very scrupulous care. In many instances, 

 the Chairman of the Committees had never written out their reports, under the 

 impression, doubtless, that the only valuable part of" a report, or the one gen- 

 erally regarded as valuable, was the one which announced the several premiums ; 

 and that any further labors of theirs would be wholly unappreciated, and serve 

 only to lumber the files of the Secretary. In other cases, probably, the reports 

 were drawn up, but after having been read, were retained by their authors, and' 

 in this way lost to the Society. It will be noticed, therefore, that in some years, 

 but a very meagre account of our doings have been given — nothing was to be 

 found, indeed, excepting what could be gleaned from the annual premium lists, 

 or from the newspaper items of the day. 



I took occasion, a year since, very briefly, to urge the importance of resuming 

 the former custom of publishing our transactions annually, and of making that 

 custom a permanent one. Subsequent observation, and the effect produced by 

 the appearance of this volume, have only served to strengthen and deepen the 

 convictions then expressed. I think it will be found, that the regular annual 

 publication of our transactions will have a decidedly beneficial effect upon our 

 operations. The tendency will be to awaken and sustain a new interest in our 

 present members, and be the means of adding to our numbers, and thus enlarge 

 the field of our labors. It gives us evidence of a tangible character, which we 

 can send out to the community, that we are still prosecuting the work which we 

 have undertaken to do. It gives us a record of different experiences and differ- 

 ent results which we always have by us for study and instruction. If. it once 

 becomes a settled policy with us, if it is understood that we invariably publish 

 our record annually, we can with a far better grace call upon gentlemen whose 

 experience and training we need, to act upon our several committees, and who 

 will cheerfully and willingly render us the service of obtaining and embodying 

 in their reports, the experiences and observations of contributors, and the means 

 employed by successful competitors in the production of their contributions. 

 We shall then feel that we have done something more than give the community 

 an opportunity, for two or three days in a year, of looking upon a fine display of 

 fruit, by furnishing, in some small degree, the information, which, if acted 

 upon, will lead them to the same results. 



The only objection ever urged, with any degree of force, against this annual 

 publication of our transactions, or which indeed can be urged, is that of ex- 

 pense. But one would naturally think that the true question would be, are 

 these publications valuable to us as a means of creating an interest in our 

 growth and welfare as a Society, or in diffusing a knowledge and fostering a 

 love of the cause in which we are engaged — are they the proper vehicles of such 

 information as will prove of substantial service to those engaged in horticultural 

 and kindred pursuits — of giving currency to a general, practical knowledge 

 upon such subjects in the community which comes within the range of our influ- 

 ence. In other words, is this the best, or one of the best means of arousing 

 and keeping alive an interest, and attracting and fixing atteiition to the objects 

 of our organization ? If not, then we may as well consider the question as set- 



