LIBRARY committee's REPORT. 65 



REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE LIBRARY, 



For the Year 1865. 

 BY F. PARKMAN, CHAIRMAN. 



The past year, so auspicious for the Society, has curtailed the action of the 

 Library Committee. Though the usual appropriation was made, it was with 

 the understanding that only half of the sum voted should be used for pur- 

 chasing books, and that the rest should be applied to the furnishing of the 

 Library room, or other similar purposes. Of the small amount at the disposal 

 of the Committee, the greater part was required for procuring the necessary 

 periodicals, so that the list of books added to the Library is much shorter than 

 usual. Some of the new acquisitions are, however, of much value. 



The want of sufficient shelf-room, from which, of late years, much incon- 

 venience has arisen, has been completely supplied. Three new book-cases, of 

 ample capacity for present use, have been substituted for two which have 

 been discarded. The entire Library was removed from the room in West 

 Street, under the direction of tire Librarian, without accident, and has been re- 

 arranged in the new building. 



Several valuable books have suffered injury from the carelessness of mem- 

 bers, who have taken them to their homes and soiled the pages by handling 

 with unwashed hands. When this occurs, the Committee will think it their 

 duty to suspend such persons from their privilege of using the Library. In 

 general, however, the books have been used with care, and punctually 

 returned, and it is gratifying to observe, during the past year, a considerably 

 increased circulation, as compared with former years. 



The amount of money drawn from the Treasurer, since the first of January, 

 1865, is two hundred and fifty dollars, the whole of which has been expended 

 for books, periodicals and newspapers. The additions to the Library, though, 

 of necessity, not so numerous as in former years, are valuable and important. 

 They comprise the first eight volumes of the Gardeners' Chronicle, (necessary 

 to complete our series ;) Gardening and Botany'^ by George Don, in four 

 volumes, quarto; Maund's Botanic Garden, from 1825 to 1837, in thirteen 

 volumes, small quarto; Sweet's British Flower Garden, in seven volumes, 

 octavo ; and Trimbles on Insects Injurious to Fruit and Fruit Trees, in one 

 volume, small quarto. 



To our list of foreign periodicals has been added the new magazine, the 

 Garten Flora ; and the Ohio Farmer has been added to our American list. 

 In other respects these lists remain unchanged. 



The following donations have been received : — 



Transactions of the California Agricultural Society. 



Report of the Michigan Board of Agriculture. 



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