28 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1882. 



At the annual meeting of your Trustees, it was voted : 



" That the Secretary^ in conjunction with the Finance Committee, be 

 directed to dispose of obsolete or useless property of the Society ; and 

 have full power to provide a sufficient supply of plates or dishes for 

 use at Exhibitions." 



Under that authorization, it has been found practicable to sell 

 a portion of our dishes and furniture which the Society had 

 outgrown. But it has not been deemed wise ; nor was it 

 supposed to be your purpose ; to throw away property, whetlier 

 obsolete or useless. Somewhat has been sold and tlie proceeds 

 thereof converted into the treasury : what remains will, when 

 realized in cash, by so much dimaiish the cost of renovation. 



In procuring the new set and style of dishes, your Secretary, 

 and Committee were greeted by a courteous proffer from the 

 Horticultural Society of Newton ; through Mr. E. W. Wood, so 

 pleasant!}' known to you ; of the gratuitous use of their moulds. 

 Mr. Phelps, of the Committee, who visited the various Potteries 

 around Boston, in person ; as from his individual skill, and 

 acquaintance with the business, he ought ; and, in fact, was alone 

 competent so to do ; discovered deficiencies that rendered it 

 impossible to avail ourselves of that considerate kindness. Mr. 

 Richard Briggs, — the eminent dealer in all such and kindred 

 forms of merchandise, — was luckily possessed of suitable moulds; 

 and a bargain was soon struck with him. An unconscionable 

 time has been consumed, but you have at last got your dishes ; 

 and, — at worst, one month of the year was unexpired. They 

 satisfy all but the chronic grumblers ; and tlieir ancestors fretted 

 continually because the prevailing winds drove in nothing but 

 manna and quails ! 



For the significance of the device you must confess indebted- 

 ness to Mr. Phelps. His rare knowledge as a numismatologist ; 

 with the aid of coins which he was able to produce for 

 patterns ; slightly chastened and corrected bj the heathen 

 proclivities of your Secretary ; combined in that rare cross- 

 fertilization of Ceres and Flora to whom the angel must have 

 app»eared in a simultaneous and fructifying dream. Mr. Phelps 

 has accepted a position in the Federal Department of Agricul- 

 ture. Let us congratulate the Department upon its acquisition of 



