COMMITTEE ON REPAIRS AND ALTERATIONS. 69 



The announcement for the next Saturday was a paper on 

 *' Shrubs that are Perfectly Hardy," by Jackson Dawson, gardener 

 at the Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain. 



BUSINESS MEETING. 



Saturday, February 16, 1889. 



An adjourned meeting of the Society was holden at half-past 

 ten o'clock, the President, Henry P. Walcott, in the Chair. 



James F. C. H^'de, from the Committee on Repairs and Altera- 

 tions in the Building, read the following Report, which, agreeably 

 to the vote of the Society at the meeting on the 26th of January, 

 had been printed and sent to every member of the Society, with 

 notice that it would be considered at this time : 



To the Members of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society : 



Your Committee to whom was referred the subject of repairs 

 or alterations at Horticultural Hall, would report that they have 

 given careful attention to the whole matter, and find that there 

 are existing leases on parts of the building, one running ten 3'ears, 

 and several others about half that length of time. 



The}' have reason to believe that it would be very expensive to 

 purchase these leases that now stand in the way of taking down 

 the present building, believing that at no distant day it will give 

 way to a more modern and profitable structure. 



There remains then, as it seems to your Committee, one of two 

 plans to adopt, — either to sell the whole property, if a sufl^icient 

 price can be obtained, or, repair and renovate the present building 

 at moderate cost, and retain it for the uses of the Society and 

 for an income, substantially as before the fire. 



It is well known to all the members of the Society that the 

 accommodations for our valuable Library are very restricted, and 

 if the Society decides to remain in the building as at present, 

 your Committee would recommend enlarging the room that is now 

 used as a ticket office, removing the partition out to the stair-rail, 

 and so secure, at a small expense, additional room for books. 



