8 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Also, Dr. Henry J. Bigelow, who became a member of our Society 

 only a few months before his death. 



The vacant spaces left in our ranks admonish us that we need to 

 train up recruits for active membership. I am more forcibly im- 

 pelled to urge this by the discovery, from reference to the records of 

 membership, that less than one-half as many persons Avere admitted 

 as members of our Society during 1890, as there were in 1889. It 

 is, therefore, noticeable that while our exhibitions have greatly 

 advanced in merit, our members have not proportionately increased, 

 though it should, in justice, be said that the large accession in 1889, 

 was chiefly due to the efforts of one member. 



The finances of the Society are in a prosperous condition ; the 

 stores are under favorable leases, and the halls have been in fre- 

 quent demand during the year, yielding good returns with judicious 

 management. During the past year $10,000 has been paid on the 

 mortgage debt, leaving a balance of $15,000 to be paid, and we 

 have in the Sinking Fund the sum of S5,000. The John Lewis 

 Russell fund, of $1,000, is permanently invested. 



No expenditures of importance have been made upon the build- 

 ing, but some repairs to portions of the premises need immediate 

 attention. The Treasurer's report, which is delayed for examina- 

 tion, will show gross receipts for the year of $4:8,781.39, including 

 a balance on hand January 1, 1890, of $10, 620. 55. The total 

 expenditures have been $33,559.31, leaving a balance of cash ou 

 chand December 31, 1890, of $15,222.08. There has been received 

 from Mount Auburn Cemetery $5,360.44, included in the above 

 amount. 



Joseph H. Woodford, from the Committee appointed at the last 

 meeting to prepare a memorial of the late Mrs. Francis B. Hayes, 

 reported the following, which was unanimously adopted : 



The Committee to prepare resolutions ou the death of Mrs. 

 Francis B. Hayes report the following : 



It is with feelings of deep sorrow that we record the death of 

 our associate, Mrs. Francis B. Hayes, which sad event occurred 

 ou the 20th of November, 1890, after an illness of a few months' 

 duration. Mrs. Hayes was a woman of great aetivit}', very 

 hospitable and social in her domestic life, and remarkably sym- 

 pathetic and benevolent toward the suffering and needy. She took 

 lip the grand work of Horticulture immediately after the death of 

 her good husband, our late President, and continued it with 



