1885.] TRANSACTIONS. 27 



"Waldo Lincoln, Francis H. Dewey, 0. B. Hadwen, Benjamin Butman, Samuel 

 H. Colton, Dr. William Workman, Emory Banister and George Jaques 

 (Chairman), participated. Whereafter it was, upon motion of Francis H. 

 Dewey, Esq., unanimously 



•' Voted, That the "Worcester County Horticultural Society continue to hold 

 their Annual Exhibitions, as heretofore, at their own Halls." 



Could higher praise be ascribed to our late venerable associate 

 than that his advice, given A. D. 1861, approves itself applica- 

 ble, and equally wise, a full generation later ! Like Waldo, and 

 Lincoln ;* Chambeklain, and Salisbury ; Harris, and Whitin ; 

 he had far exceeded the age allotted to man. October 17th, 

 with mental faculties unimpaired, in his Eighty-eighth year, he 

 fell into the sleep that knows no waking. 



This Society was ever chary in the bestowal of its distinctions, 

 and the list of our Honorary Members is singularly brief. Of 

 those thus placed upon our roll originally, but one or two remain 

 among the living. The most eminent, — the venerable President 

 of the American Pomological Society, — survives in perennial 

 vigor and usefulness. May he long endure ! crowned with 

 laurels and saluted by the plaudits due to one whose whole life 

 has been a benefaction ! 



"Whom none knew but to love, 

 None named, but to praise. 



With this solitary exception, not one of those named was more 

 distinguished than that of Charles Downing. Your Secretary 

 was favored with his friendship ; and has — now and then — all 

 too infrequently — laid before you extracts from his inquiring 

 and suggestive letters. It will not be taking up too much of 

 your time to ask your attention to the subjoined affecting and 

 appropriate notice, by Marshall P. Wilder, of his life-long asso- 

 ciate in all good Pomological effort : 



"Charles Downing was born at Newburg, N. Y., July 9, 1802, and 

 died at his home, in that city, January 18th, 1885. His death is to 

 me a tnost afflictive event. We were associated together for nearly 

 half a century in efforts to advance the Pomology of our country. 

 Succeeding, as he did, his brother, A. J. Downing, whose eulogy it 

 was my sad duty to pronounce thirty-two years ago, he became the 



* Levi. 



