REPORT 



COMMITIEE ON THE LIBRARY, 



FOR THE YEAR 1890. 



Nothing in the history of the Library during the present year 

 calls for much remark. As usual all the money available has been 

 expended. The number of books added from the income of the 

 Stickney Fund has probably been somewhat less than usual, be- 

 cause the Committee had an opportunity, earl^- in the year, to 

 purchase a copy of Gallesio's "Pomona Italiana " at a price ad- 

 vantageous to the Society. This is a truly magnificent work, and 

 one which we are very glad, after some years uf waiting, to have 

 obtained. It is not necessary to name others of our purchases, 

 as the}' will all appear in the list appended to this report; but in 

 variety they will be found about as usual-, covering the whole field 

 from Forestry- to Floriculture. 



During the year the books have been rearranged upon a system- 

 atic plan, a change long desired but not possible until the recent 

 addition to our shelf-room. A glance at our well-filled cases 

 will show that the relief did not corue too soon ; another glance 

 will show that even now many shelves have a back row of books. 



The botanical and horticultural periodicals have been continued 

 as in former 3'ears. These are p'aid for out of the Society's appro- 

 priation, as is the binding, of which a considerable quantity is still 

 in arrears. This is unavoidable, for the work of arranging for 

 the binder such books as Blanco's "• Flora of the Philippines," and 

 the "Pomona Italiana " just mentioned, takes a long time and much 

 study. A very noticeable feature in the matter presented to the 

 Library is the great number of reports of Experiment Stations from 

 almost every State of the Union and from Canada ; some of these 

 are virv interesting and instructive. 



