The progress and improvement of horticulture since 

 the beginning of the present century had been more 

 rapid than before ; and it was doubtless a perception of 

 this fact, in connection with the belief that its advance- 

 ment might be made still more rapid, and the example 

 of other societies, which led to the formation of the 

 Massachusetts Horticultural Society. The subject had 

 been much discussed among lovers of horticulture ; and 

 on the 24th of February, 1829, a bitterly cold clay, when 

 the streets were piled with snow, a meeting of sixteen 

 gentlemen convened at the office of Zebedee Cook, jun., 

 71 Congress Street, for the purpose of instituting a hor- 

 ticultural society. The Hon. John Lowell, who stood at 

 the head of the horticulturists of the State, was chosen 

 to preside ; and Mr. Cook was secretary. Besides these, 

 there were present H. A. S. Dearborn, Samuel Downer, 

 John B. Russell, Enoch Bartlett, Cheever Newhall, Rob- 

 ert Manning, John M. Ives, Andrews Breed, and Henry 

 A. Breed. The names of the other five are unknown. 

 On the 17th of March the constitution and by-laws, 

 drawn up by Gen. Dearborn, were adopted, and officers 

 were chosen. On the 12th of June it was "enacted 

 by the Senate and House of Representatives in General 

 Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that 

 Zebedee Cook, jun., Robert L. Emmons, William Worth- 

 ington, B. V. French, John B. Russell, J. R. Newell, 

 Cheever Newhall, and Thomas G. Fessenden, their 

 associates and successors, be, and they hereby are. in- 

 corporated under the name and by the description of 

 the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, for the pur- 

 pose of encouraging and improving the science and 

 practice of horticulture, and promoting the amelioration 

 of the various species of trees, fruits, plants, and vege- 

 tables, and the introduction of new species and varie- 

 ties." Thus, like the morning suu, whose rays, sendiug 

 forth their healthful and benign influences, light up the 



