348 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



suitable place for such a catalogue, which was wanting before, a 

 beginning with the books added to the library during the present 

 3'ear (or such of them as could be placed on numbered shelves,) 

 has been made. As the old terms folio, quarto, etc., have become 

 so indefinite as to be almost devoid of meaning, an exact measure- 

 ment of the size of the books, in inches and tenths of an inch, 

 giving first the height, next the thickness, and lastly the width, 

 has been substituted. A description of the binding has also been 

 added, ever keeping in mind the object in view, which is to enable 

 any one wanting a book to find it as quickl}- as possible. I feel 

 confident that the changes in the description of the books will be 

 found of material assistance in finding any desired book. 



The two new bookcases last added, which at the date of my last 

 report had not been filled with books, are now filled, and much 

 more space might have been used. The filling of these bookcases 

 necessitated many other changes, and in all this work it was 

 necessary to regard ecouom}' of room and a systematic arrange- 

 ment, as well as the placing of the books most used in the most 

 accessible places. It is believed that all these objects have been 

 attained in a good degree, and especiallj' tiiat the S3'stematic 

 arrangement of the books has been improved. The heavy folios 

 on the high shelves, which could be reached only by the ladder, 

 have been taken down and placed on the lowest shelves and their 

 places filled with smaller books. These, as far as possible, consist 

 of sets of many volumes in preference to miscellaneous books, 

 and of completed sets rather than of such as are still growing. 

 There still remains a little room in which books of ordinary size 

 can be placed, but that for large books is entirely exhausted, and 

 I see no other course to pursue with most of those received during 

 the present year than to begin again to pile them on top of the 

 bookcases or to stow them in the attic. 



In the report of the Library Committee for 1875, the attention 

 of the Society was called to the want of increased accommodation 

 for the books in the library as a serious obstacle to their use, and 

 a matter which must receive early attention from the Society. 

 The next year the Committee reported that though additional 

 space had been provided, it could not be many years before a 

 reconstruction of the library room would be imperatively demanded. 

 This subject has been urged upon 'the attention of the Society 

 almost every year since then, but though additional bookcases 



