J 50 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BUSINESS WEETING. 



Saturday, March 12, 1887. 



Au adjourned meeting of the Societ}' was holdeu at 11 o'clock, 

 the President, Henry P. "NValcott, in the Chair. 



The President read the following letter : — 



Boston Society of Natural History, 

 Berkeley Street, Boston, Mass., 

 March 10, 1887. 

 Dr. Henry P. Walcott : — 



Dear Sir, — The following vote was unanimously passed by the 

 Council of this Society' at its last meeting and has been sent to 

 the Mayor and Board of Aldermen : 



Voted, The Council of the Boston Society of Natural History, 

 regarding with favor the proposition to devote a portion of the 

 Public Garden to the uses of the Massachusetts Horticultural So- 

 ciety and particularly for its valuable exhibitions, begs permission 

 to support the petition of the Horticultural Societ}' to the City 

 Government, on the ground that if granted it would foster on the 

 part of the public a larger interest in the very objects of the Gar- 

 den. The Council looks on all movements tending toward the 

 education of the public in natural objects and natural laws with 

 the deepest concern, and believes in this instance that the best in- 

 terests of the public would be served by as close a relationship as 

 possible between the Horticultural Society and the Garden. 



Your truly, 



Edward Burgess, 



Secretary. 

 Adjourned to Saturday', March 19. 



MEETING FOR DISCUSSION. 



The Progress of Commercial Floriculture. 



By William J. Stewart, Boston. 



Mr. President, Ladies, and Gentlemen : Your Committee has 

 asked me to read a paper on the Progress of Commercial Flori- 

 culture. The whole history of commercial floriculture in this 

 country is progress — progress so rapid and so romarkablc that it 



