THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



Members of the Horticultural Society, — 



In accepting the position of presiding officer, which is again as- 

 signed to rae by your kind favor, I return you my hearty thanks for 

 tlie honor thus conferred; and I pledge to you ray earnest endeavor 

 to seek after and promote the interests of our Society. 



The reports of our various standing committees, already sub- 

 mitted, are so full, that it is left for me simply to allude to the re- 

 sults of the past year in general terms. We have been favored 

 with marked prosperity in every department. Our exhibitions of 

 fruits, flowers, and vegetables, have been abundant and excellent. 

 The additions to our library have been considerable, and more than 

 usually fortunate. Our list of membership is steadily increasing; 

 though we have to regret the loss of nineteen members by death; 

 one of these. Dr. Eben Wight, having been in former years an 

 active and prominent officer in the Society, and for whose memory 

 we have passed appropriate resolutions of esteem. 



Owing to a considerable purchase of land by the Mt. Auburn 

 Corporation, our income from this source has been somewhat dimin- 

 ished ; and yet, under the excellent management of our Finance 

 Committee and the zealous care of our Superintendent, the condi- 

 tion of our finances continues to be most encouraging. 



A letter was received from the executor of the will of Mons. F. 

 Andrew Michaux, in July last, supposed to be intended for this 

 Society, notifying us tliat a legacy in French rentes, amounting to 

 about forty-tliree thousand francs, had been left to the Society. 

 Receiving notice of this legacy during my visit to the city of Paris in 

 August last, and knowing that M. Michaux was an honorary member 

 of our Society, and that he had obtained lasting renown by liis 

 knowledge of and interest in the North-American sylva and the 

 kindred studies of horticulture, and, on the other haml, having no 

 knowledge of the circumstances and terms of the will, I had no doubt 

 that the legacy was intended for us; and accordingly I obtained a 

 transfer of the rentes to this Society. Subsequent examination of the 

 will, ami of other papers pertaining thereto, has made it clear that 

 the legacy belongs to the Society for the Promotion of Agriculture 



