210 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL, SOCIETY. 



BUSINESS MEETING. 



Satikday, April 11, 1891. 



An adjoarned meeting of the Society' was holden at eleven 

 o'clock, the President, "William H. Si'OOxer, in the chair. 



Francis Campbell, of Cambridge, was proposed by David Allan, 

 as a Life member of the Society. 



John M. Keyes, of Concord, Avas proposed by John H. Moore,, 

 as a member of the Society. 



Adjourned to Saturday, May 2. 



MEETING FOR DISCUSSION. 

 A AYiXTER Visit to the Bahama Islands. 



Bj' Col. Henry W. Wilson, Boston. 



This interesting group of islands is often confounded with the 

 Bermudas, even by persons otherwise well informed. The latter 

 are in Lat. 32° N., Long. 66° W., while the Bahamas extend from 

 Lat. 22° to 27° 20' N. and from Long. 72° 30' to 79° 20' W. 

 Nassau, the principal commercial point, being in Lat. 25° 0.5' N. 

 and Long. 77° 21' W., is about 800 miles southwest of Bermuda, 

 lOoO miles, almost due south, from New York and about 350 miles, 

 a little north of east, from Key West. 



It is to some of the experiences and observations of a winter's 

 visit to these islands, last February, that the attention of the 

 Society will be called for a brief hour. 



Not often can a midwinter voj^age be made with bright skies 

 and unruffled seas, with no more motion than one would meet on 

 an excursion boat on a June day in Boston Baj'. You soon fall 

 into a regular routine of life which lasts just long enough to avoid 

 tedium. You cannot fail to be an early riser in order to view th6 

 sun emerging as from a bath in the wilderness of waters ; breakfast, 

 and then pace the deck, fore and aft for an liour, as exercise ; 

 consult the patent log hourly, if not oftener, to assure yourself that 

 you are going along all right ; speculate as to the distance run for 



