pkesident's address. 177 



tion of topics connected with our current exhibitions, or with our 

 art. It must be manifest to every one, that in connection with a 

 display of fruits or flowers, a few words of comment or of expla- 

 nation would be of great service to ourselves, as well as to the 

 public, and would give an enforced and oftentimes a new meaning 

 to the exhibitions. Such impromptu discussions, engaged in by 

 those who have a real and active interest, might prove to be stim- 

 ulating and suggestive. Without in anywise trespassing upon the 

 duties of the Committee upon Lectures, I respectfully suggest 

 whether our business meetings may not be made more interest- 

 ing and profitable by the introduction of practical topics con- 

 nected with our art. 



In accordance with your invitation extended to the National 

 Pomological Societ}'', to hold its quarter Centennial Session in the 

 city of Boston, as our guests, which invitation has been accepted, 

 it gives me pleasure to announce that arrangements have been 

 made to have the sessions of that Society held in one of our Halls 

 in connection with our Annual Exhibition of Plants and Flowers, 

 in Sept. next, the exhibition of fruits by that Society being made 

 at the same time in the Music Hall. I need not remind our mem- 

 bers that it will be our pride and our pleasure not only to make as 

 creditable a display of our products as is in our power on that 

 occasion, but also to exert ourselves to make the visit of the emi- 

 nent cultivators from all parts of our vast domain both agreeable 

 to them, and a source of stimulus and profit to ourselves. 



We shall welcome comparisons with others. We shall prize 

 and profit by their suggestions. We shall yield a generous admi- 

 ration for their magnificent specimens of fruits from their virgin 

 soil. Yet I cannot doubt we shall be reassured by the comparison 

 that our climate, soil and skill will yield fruits of rare and highest 

 excellence in quality, and of suflScient size, and in such abundance 

 that we may truly say, " The lines have fallen to us in pleasant 

 places, yea, we have a goodly heritage." 



Full of courage and gratitude, let us with renewed energy par- 

 take ourselves to the work of the year. 



