1894.] TRANSACTIONS. 7 



Nor should the felicitous character of his surroundings, in 

 that connection, be overlooked. That was not an era of clubs ; 

 people keeping early hours and electing the homestead rather 

 than herbergage. But such wholesome customs did not pre- 

 clude good fellowship ; and the day was accounted ill-spent 

 whereof a half-hour had not been pleasantly occupied in the 

 book-store, or office subsequently, of Mr. Harris. Of that rare 

 company, were Frederic William Paine, Anthony Chase, John 

 Milton Earle, William Lincoln, Isaac Davis, Benjamin F. 

 Thomas, and, need I add? John Green. All versed in polite 

 literature, each devoted to Horticulture for its own sake and 

 not its possible premiums, and every one actively interested for 

 the welfare of the young Society which they had just united to 

 establish. To their unselfish liberality may we attribute the early 

 formation of the Library itself, its nucleus, in default of other 

 resources, being the volumes given by those gentlemen from 

 their private collections. Meeting for the daily pinch of snuff, 

 as was their wont and the custom of their time, they constituted 

 a sort of volunteer council, prompt to discern needs which they 

 were equally quick and ready to supply. So that it happened, 

 without public fuss, or fume of newspaper, that there was a 

 gradual, steady accretion to the stock of sound knowledge essen- 

 tial to mastery of Horticulture, so far as declared in print by its 

 recognized scientists. And it may be asserted, with entire con- 

 fidence, that, when it was deemed expedient to transfer the 

 Library to this Hall, in the interest of its more general use, no 

 collection of its size could be named better suited to its 

 specific aim and object, than that which Clarendon Harris de- 

 livered in such admirable condition to your Secretary who, 

 A. D. 1862, was elected Librarian. 



And now, having served in that capacity for a long series 

 of years, subsequently acting as Chairman of your Commit- 

 tee on Library and Publication, I take occasion thus publicly 

 to repel the assumption that there has been any dereliction 

 of duty on the part of successive Librarians down to the 

 present day ; or that the Committee on Library has been remiss 

 in official oversight and action. The files of Journals and Mao-- 



