10 WORCESTER COUiSTTY HORTICDLTDRAL SOCIETY. [1884. 



throughont, ho has enjoyed tlie encoiii'Mgement mid S3^mpathy of 

 Thomas, and Meehan, of Downing, and Wilder. But the 

 excellent Pj-esident of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 

 whose success in growing the Philosopiier's Stone* has acted like 

 a constriction upon the development of the Concord School of 

 Piiilosophy, was delivered, in March last, of the following im- 

 maculate conct ption : 



"The publications of this Society will compare favorably with those 

 of others. The reports of a Horticultural Society should contain all 

 its doings, and should give accounts of all the objects exhibited, and 

 not be devoted exclusively or mainly to remarks by the Secretary, as is 

 the case with some." 



The publications of the Massachusetts Society are invaluable. 

 They are replete with priceless experience. And as much may 

 be claimed for our own. Latterly, when this Society discon- 

 tinued its meetings for discussion, — for the sound reason that a 

 re hash was not, and could not be converted into, fresh meat, — 

 there remained but little save the dreams, " vain imaginings " 

 perhaps, of your Secretary^ wherewith to fill an otherwise empty 

 page. It might have continued blank. But then, — shall it be 

 left for him to assert? some hundreds of dollars might have been 

 lost to this Society ; while twice the sum would be payable by 

 the Massachusetts Society to help conduct Boston Sewage toward 

 Massachusetts Bay. 



When your Secretary was in the habit of pleading before that 

 Horticultural Son of Anak, — then Chairman of the Agricultural 

 Committee, — for Legislative Protection from Frugivorous Birds, 

 his repl}' was prompt that nothing could be done. " Barkis is 

 willin' " ! — but ! Had only the trial been made ! Now that a 

 long advance towards equality before the law has been attained, 

 why should not the Massachusetts Society welcome an oppor- 

 tunity of applying its unexpected savings to advance the Science 

 and promote the Practice of Horticulture as suggested in this 

 recommendation of an Experiment Station ? 



The quality of our local crop of Ax>ples is so superior, this 

 season, that tiie matter of their profitable disposition becomes of 



* What are those? said the Western sciolist as, looking over the fence, 

 he pointed to some thrifty egg-plants. ' ' Philosopher's Stones " ! was the 

 grutt" reply- 



