REPORT ON A BUILDING FOR THE SOCIETY. 237 



of the Societ}' than it now enjoys, beg to report : That, in their 

 opinion, the building owned b}^ the Society cannot be altered to 

 meet the requirements, either in space or convenience, of an ex- 

 hibition of plants which would properly illustrate the actual devel- 

 opment and importance of Massachusetts Horticulture. More 

 space is required for our exhibitions, and space into which large 

 plants can be easily and safely transported without the risk which 

 attends their transportation to the second or third stor}' of any 

 building ; and more space is absolutely needed for the unsurpassed 

 and inestimabl}' valuable library of the Societ3\ 



Your Committee has examined various sites in different parts of 

 the city with the view of recommending the purchase of a piece 

 of land and the erection upon it of a new building adapted to the 

 actual needs of the Society. It has not been possible, however, 

 to find any piece of unoccupied land in a suitable locality and of 

 sufficient size for this purpose. Your Committee, nevertheless, 

 has caused to be prepared a plan which is now submitted for your 

 consideration, of a proposed horticultural building, which they 

 believe will, if it can be built, afford the Society all the accommo- 

 dations it will require, and the}' recommend that the President of 

 the Societ}' be authorized, in the name of the Societ}', to petition 

 His Honor the Mayor of Boston for authority' to erect a building 

 of this general character on the Public Garden of the city at some 

 convenient point on Boylston Street. 



It seems to be peculiarly fitting that the exhibitions of the So- 

 ciety should be held in the garden of the cit}-, and it is the opin- 

 ion of your Committee that if this scheme can be adopted the 

 usefulness of the Society will be greatly extended, to its own ad- 

 vantage and to the benefit of the people of Boston. It is sug- 

 gested, in case this plan can be adopted, that a portion of the 

 second stor}' of the building should be finished as offices and 

 offered to the city of Boston for the use, without rent, of the Mu- 

 nicipal Board of Park Commissioners, who very properly would 

 thus become closely associated with our Society, whose influence 

 might properly be exerted in shaping and influencing the Park 

 policy of the cit3^ It is proposed to supplement the building with 

 a large tent, to be used at the time of our principal exhibitions ; 

 in which large plants could be grouped easily, safelj^ and 

 effectively. The cost of such a building is estimated to be fifty 

 thousand dollars, a sum of money which can be easily raised upon 



